Blood Will Out
by Typewriter44
Summary: AUish Tryan. Ryan's night is pretty odd, some things are explained about the responsibility of being a vampire and the dangers of being one too but is Ryan ready for where destiny pulls him tonight?
1. In Which Ryan Acquires A Boyfriend

**Blood Will Out**

_Hello everyone, so yet another AU type fan fiction...I saw some amazing music videos dedicated to the TRYAN pairing and decided to give this a whirl. I never really thought about HSM in a supernatural setting but then I read BitterGrin's "By Moonlight", "By Gravelight" and "By S__tarlight" and it got me thinking on some interpretations I had on the various lores of supernaturals I have encountered. I want to try and avoid some of the apalling tropes and tripe associated with some of them and I think the first two stories of BitterGrin's trilogy really did a fantastic job at looking a new readings on old favourites. I don't know if this will be continuing into a long series, short series or if this is where it ends but I'd like to hear what you guys have to say. I advocate BitterGrin's stories as well as a few more that hooked me on the pairing of Ryan and Troy. High School Revisited by xBroken-Glassx for instance is a wonderful piece and Start of Something New by _easytodancewith_. _

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><p><strong>Warnings: <strong>Bad Language, Slash, Drinking, Gay stuff and this and that. Rated M for safety**. **

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><p><strong><span>Blood Will Out<span>**_  
><em>

_**Ryan**_

Senior Year...God how it loomed. Summer was slowly crawling to completion and I was excited to be almost on the verge of graduation...it'd be a hectic year but...well it'd be worth it. I thought my life would be perfect...I was wrong.

I should try to start at the beginning. It was 2007, senior year was about to explode like a powder keg and we were partying down the fuse with the first of the last summer parties at the Evans estate. My sister had invited everyone who was anyone – which was a very strange term for her these days. That was the Brains, the Jocks and the Drama Club with a few skaters for good measure.

Troy and Gabriella were there...things were awkward between them lately, everyone could see, no hand holding, no arms around shoulders...Gabriella had even stopped wearing his pendant. Troy seemed a bit more distant too and they both looked melancholy whenever they had to talk to each other. I downed a shot of...well something...I'll get back to you on that one...it was green...it tingled my lips and I moved out onto the dance floor with Martha.

Gotta be honest, she could put me to shame something fierce with her moves.

Troy was dancing with Kelsi and Taylor, Chad had gone to get some punch and Troy was doing a half-assed kind of cha-cha. I took his and Kelsi's hands and we spun each other. Kelsi laughed before being goosed by Jason and shoving ice down his shirt. Flirtation much?

I laughed and pulled Troy into a mock tango; he seemed to fight a smile briefly but eventually succumbed to a parody of the famous dance. Hey it was a laugh, eventually Martha and Kelsi joined in alongside Taylor and Chad. Fun. Laughter. It was good.

Troy spun me, tipped me and threw his free hand to the air with a grin on his face, lost in joviality. It was good to see a friend smile and Troy was close to being a good friend, especially after all the baseball games we'd played with the Wildcats. I looked up at him and smiled and there was a spark...ah damn crushes!

I eased myself up quickly, laughing it off as the others gathered around. The DJ had turned on something by Aly & AJ...Like Whoa I think. Troy leaned in, his warm breath tickling my ear as he spoke loud enough to be heard over the music. "Thanks, man" he said.

I smiled at him. "No problem" I felt a burning sensation on my back and turned to look over my shoulder. The guy had dark eyes, dark hair, sallow skin and a slight smirk, just cocky enough to be charming. I felt his eyes on me like a set of gentle but firm hands.

I felt my hand slip out of Troy's grasp. "Um...I need punch" I murmured...I couldn't tear my eyes away from the guy...he was beautiful...Troy said something about getting some too but I was already moving through the crowd in my red and white shirt and matching hat. Team spirit and all that jazz... or a head start on it for the coming term.

"Hello" the guy said. He had an accent...I like accents...sounded vaguely Germanic.

"...hi..."I managed. I think I had something smooth to say...a witty line or a charming come-on but his eyes gleamed and his skin glowed and...Yeah forget it. "...m Ryan..."

"I'm Luke" he smiled, grinning with perfect teeth. "You're quite the dancer..."

"Uh that? That was just for fun?"

"No...I meant before that, your other dances, I saw you at Lava Springs and the choreography to that number was flawless. You remind me of a dancer I once saw in the Royal Ballet Company while it was in New York -" he smiled and leaned in just a little. "I like dancers...I'd like to see you dance with a more suitable partner" he winked and I felt my heart go into double time.

He raised his hand between us, palm out facing up, the skin on that well manicured hand looked so soft and the invite was so clear. He was dressed in black and his bronzed flesh looked so perfect alongside it... I touched his hand; his flesh was cool...even in the hot night air. It was pleasant.

Really nice.

Before I knew it we were dancing close together to "Kiss Me" by Sixpence None the Richer...I hate that song. Like with a passion, ever since Dawson's Creek and the 90s bashed my head in with it. But...well...Luke seemed to make it melt away. All I could do is stare into his eyes...the big dark pools of...desire... yeah Mills and Boon had nothing on what was going through my head.

"Can we go and talk somewhere?" he whispered. I blinked suddenly aware a whole new song was playing and I hadn't even noticed. Something felt off...I realise that now...but I ignored it.

"S-sure" I lead him towards the gazebo, there were people around but fewer near the gazebo. As I walked past Zeke and Sharpay grinned at me. My sister caught my hand and whispered "Hey, details over breakfast, m'kay?"

I flushed and hurried to keep up with the long strides of Luke. He had long legs and a nice ass to top them off...damn...I cast a glance back at the party; Kelsi had joined Zeke and Sharpay near the buffet where I had spoken to them. She gave me a little wave and a laugh and I felt myself blush. Don't get ahead of yourself, Ryan, I told myself. Play it cool.

Luke rested his left ankle on his right knee and sprawled into the swinging love chair. He looked like an underwear model...best thing about buying Calvin Klein...

"S-so...hi" I managed as I sat down slowly near the other arm of the narrow seat. His fingers touched my shoulder and slowly urged me towards him with surprising strength for those delicate limbs.

"Hello indeed, Mr. Evans" he smiled. "So...here we are"

I cast a glance at the couple making out a few feet away. "Um. Yup" my face was flushed and he leaned in.

"So...what shall we do..." I turned to look at him and he captured my lips in a kiss, it was cool and strong, it was how a king kissed or something. Mhm. Yup. Good Kiss. I felt honoured.

"You have such a spark" he murmured as he traced cool fingers down the side of my face. "Such... grace and elegance..." he kissed my ear lobe and I trembled, that was a sensitive spot of mine...real sensitive...he moved back and grinned. "Oh my...that bears further investigation" he mused. He leaned in and slowly sucked on my ear lobe. I gasped and he moved downwards, drawing the sensation with his lips.

"I – um – so...uh...where – where do you go to school?"

He stopped and blinked. "I study in New York, Xavier High School..." he said simply. "I'm here visiting my... family" he kissed my neck again.

"W-who do you know at the party?" I mumbled.

"No one as important as you" he said slowly. "A friend...to be honest I really just wanted to meet you..." I blushed and then whimpered as he slid an arm around my waist. "Maybe we can go out some time?" he mused. "I believe there are some very nice theatre shows coming up..."

Everyone knows I'm gay but...well there's everyone knowing I act gay and then there's everyone knowing I want to jump into bed with a boy. It's not actually six of one thing and half a dozen of the other its two totally different criteria.

"That – that'd be nice"

He flashed a grin and again I felt something...off...but he leaned in and kissed me then slowly made his way down my neck, there was a pinch and I gasped before the world melted into a haze of pleasure. Wow. Wow. Wow...wwww...

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><p>I woke up the next morning in my own bed, alone, thank you very much, I felt like my limbs were made of lead at first and as I sat up the world spun as if to spite me, a headache pumped along my mind and I groaned aloud.<p>

I don't know how long passed but Sharpay eventually barged into my room and sat down on my bed as she set about doing her nails. "I said I wanted a dish-session at breakfast and here you are sleeping like a baby" she scoffed. "Come on, we can move it to lunch"

I peered at her from under my pillow. "Lunch?"

"Ryan...it's nearly one o'clock" she exclaimed. I sat up, the world threatened to do a head spin but I covered my eyes and rubbed at them a few times to calm my senses. "So...you must have had a few private drinks with your boy toy" she commented. "Who was he? He doesn't go to East High"

"Huh? Oh – uh his name was Luke, he's from New York, he's on vacation and he came with a friend"

"Oh? Who?" she was still filing her nails intently but Sharpay could multi-task anything with grooming.

"I uh...I can't remember" I muttered.

"Well he was hot" she shrugged. "Okay so how about a game of tennis at the club and then some spa treatment?" she paused and giggled. "Oh Ryan"

"What?" she was staring at my neck, I clapped a hand to it and rolled out of bed, rushing to the mirror. There was a small red mark, obviously a hickey under my jaw and another one on my collar bone. Damn.

I felt them tingle and for a moment I thought Luke was there, wrapping his arms around me...but...sadly no. It was just my sister laughing her heart out before snapping a picture with her iPhone and darting out the door.

"Shar!" I whined.

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><p>Summer's end was fast approaching. I couldn't find Luke's number but when we attended Troy's party (less booze because his mother was home that night) I knew I would be seeing him again. We pulled up in Sharpay's pink convertible; I always worried about how very...Barbie Dream Car it was. It was three days since our party and now we were off to the Barbeque at the Bolton house.<p>

Gabriella was there, dancing with Taylor and Kelsi and of course Martha who never missed a beat. I grinned at the latter over the punch bowl as she came to refresh. "Hey handsome" she winked. "What's shaking?"

"Aside from you on the dance floor? Seriously, nice moves" I grinned.

"Thanks...oh shoot" she grinned and leaned towards me, I leaned in. "I have to tell you of all people. I've just gotten my teaching qualifications for dance. I'm now allowed to teach break dancing anywhere in the country...and I'm applying to this college in Maryland that's got a fantastic Education program". I could see from the way her eyes had lit up that Martha was facing the future with a smile. She had always loved knowledge and now she was getting to pass it on...she was elated.

"Congratulations" I smiled and gave her a quick peck on the cheek. "I am so happy for you"

"Yeah I realised over the summer that dance or study, knowledge or rhythm...I can teach people, pass it on and pay it forward" she chuckled. "I am ridiculously excited, the idea of being able to show people new worlds and help them get there, being a teacher is what I want to do."

Wow. She was on top of her future.

I sure as heck wasn't.

Still I had time.

I turned around and nearly spilt punch over Troy. Martha giggled as we both recoiled to avoid ruining our clothes. I was wearing by black and white newsboy had with a white sweater and black slacks. Troy was in a pale blue short-sleeve shirt over a white long sleeve tee and jeans. I honestly feel I was more justified than he was...yeah I'm allowed to be shallow sometimes.

"Oh...hey" he said. There was an awkward pause. "Great party the other night"

"Thanks" I said flatly. "Um...this looks good...the...um veggie burgers are a nice touch"

He looked at my small plate of food. "Uh...yeah I don't eat too much red meat usually" I murmured. "I like the chicken".

Troy shrugged. "Did you hear about the football team in...like...Dallas? They ate a diet of chicken breast but it had been given like extra oestrogen and...Well they ended up..." he made a gesture in front of his chest, curving his hands into a very obvious shape. I laughed.

"Urban Myth" I snorted.

"No way, dude, it totally makes sense, in red meat you can trust" he grinned.

"Pshaw I say Mr. Bolton!" my accent went to a fine British imitation.

Chad bounded over. "I say old boys, are we having limey time without Monsignor Danforth the Third?" he guffawed heartily at the end and Troy and I shared a laugh. Chad was a decent guy, a little fidgety around certain topics, gay things, but he didn't hold it against me that I was...theatrical.

"Never good sir, why we were just -" Troy was interrupted mid Brit-speak

"Cross I am going to kill you!" Kelsi shrieked as she raced after Jason who was holding a super soaker and wearing her bowler hat.

"What is with those two?" Chad sighed.

"Sexual Tension" Troy and I said together. We exchanged a look and chuckled.

"First Zeke, now Jason...the Drama club is absorbing our boys" Chad shook his head. "Remember when we exclusively dated cheerleaders?"

"Yeah...that was me to a tee...totally into cheerleaders" I nodded.

Chad snorted. "I meant...oh never mind"

"Remind me again, Taylor was the head cheerleader...wait no...She was the head of the academic decathlon team" Troy patted Chad on the back. "I think we're all glad we left the comfort zones behind".

At that moment he spotted Gabriella at the far end of the table...and his face went...unreadable. Maybe not so glad now? I looked to Chad who seemed troubled as well and then to Gabriella who had spotted Troy and gave a small nod, pursing her lips as she did. Troy flashed a smile – but it didn't reach his eyes – he was good at being the Golden Boy but I was starting to read him like Chad. I glanced at him to gauge his reaction and he did the same to me.

Troy looked at us. "I think we need more ketchup...I'll go get some" he said and walked away briskly. I looked at the table and the three bottles of ketchup.

"What's up with him?" I asked Chad.

Chad shook his head. "He and Gabby, this thing about the show, there was a void and apparently she may be leaving sooner than expected..." he winced. "Don't spread it around, only me and Taylor know aside from Gabby and her mom and Troy...Stanford gave her a like intensive course thing and Troy found out by accident – he answered her phone by mistake and took the message."

"...ah..." it was all I could manage. I felt bad for both of them, Gabriella was a good friend and the distress between herself and Troy was not something I would want for any friends of mine.

"I should go talk to him" Chad murmured.

"Let me" I said. "I mean I want to try being a friend to him"

Chad considered for a while and then nodded.

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><p>I'd never had a tree house...well not a proper one, my parents had taken us to a South American tree village once...but that was as close to that trope of childhood as I had gotten. I peered over the hatch entrance at Troy's back and then knocked on the floor. He glanced at me and smiled. "Come on up"<p>

I hurried up the ladder and perched on the balcony with him. "Hi"

"Hi"

Silence.

"Gabby is enrolled in a special program for Stanford" he said at last. "She'll leave for it in a few months, after Christmas I think, she'll miss Prom and...Everything".

"I'm sorry"

"It's just that...we know it has to end, I don't think I can do that long distance thing and ever since summer...well we just haven't connected so well since...I don't know...there's lots of stuff just getting me down" he frowned. "I feel kind of confused about...all the stuff going on now, senior year, college..." he looked at me with those big and beautiful eyes. "I am such a whiny little bitch" he chuckled.

"Ah we all have our off days" I smiled. "Feel free to vent"

"...So" he pursed his lips. "I'm not a venter but uh...let's talk..." he stared up at the stars. "So...who was that guy?" I tensed. "He seemed into you, though you may want to lay off the booze he had to carry you back to the party from the gazebo."

I didn't recall drinking that much. I mentioned this to Troy who shrugged lightly.

"You were a little loopy" Troy shrugged. "...he didn't slip you anything, did he?"

"Just tongue" I said without thinking and then slapped my hand to my face. "Sorry...you don't need to know that". Troy had a weird look on his face.

"Uh...okay...yeah...did not need that confirmed" he said...then chuckled. "It's cool you act as who you are...you know? I mean sure you happen to be gay but the other stuff, the singing and dancing... you're cool with who you are..."

I shifted uneasily. I wasn't so sure. "Mr. Evans" a voice called. Troy and I looked down to see Luke standing below in a dark muscle shirt, black long sleeve and tight black jeans. He gave a flawless smile to me and then a brief nod to Troy who grunted and returned it.

"Geez – Goth much?" Troy muttered.

"Basic black does not a Goth make" I chided in a sing song voice.

"The eyeliner on the other hand..."

I gave him a playful dig in the ribs.

"Go on, you go play with him" Troy smiled. "Just watch out for where you do it, my mother loves her Azaleas" he smiled; again it didn't reach his eyes. But it did come close to them...

I slowly descended the ladder and turned, walking straight into Luke's chest. Ooooh. Firm.

"Hello" he said. Again the strange feeling washed over me, there was a lack of...something...but then I looked into his deep brown eyes and everything flittered away. What was I saying? I swayed a little and he smiled. "I forgot to give you my number last time..." he slipped a small piece of folded paper into my left pocket, his fingers stroking my hip. "I was worried but then I heard about this party and...Well the fates spoke" he grinned and leaned in for a commanding kiss. "I think destiny has plans for you and me" he whispered as he pressed his lips to mine and made the world turn around.

As the kiss broke I heard a cough overhead. I looked up and Luke and I saw Troy who was looking a little red. "Uh...hey guys...look there's only one ladder down"

"Sorry!" I chirped and although Luke gave a little resistance he and I moved out of the way. I looked at Luke to see him glaring at Troy who was walking away. I think he was being Alpha-Male...that was nice. I'd like guys fighting over me...Troy could never be one of them but...hey a boy can dream can't he?

Luke wrapped an arm around my waist. "Let us take a stroll, Mr. Evans" he smiled.

"Call me Ryan, Mr. Evans is my dad"

"I'm more than happy to call you Ryan" he smiled. He leaned in again for another kiss. I smiled and gave him one, feeling his long fingers trail up my back and when he drew them back down I felt them digging into my back and send shards of pleasure up my spine. I trembled and moaned and he chuckled against my lips.

What was that? Damn! Something was amiss...and then he went and kissed me again. Oh well there goes that idea...and most coherent thought with it...wow. Wow. Wow.

An hour later and I was sitting with Luke amidst my friends, the girls (Kelsi, Gabriella, Taylor and Martha) had all given me approving nodes, smiles and winks as I introduced him to them. This is Luke from New York. Chad, Jason, Zeke and Sharpay had all been quite nonchalant...but hey...this was Luke...from New York...they should have been more impressed...or whatever...

"So who is it you know here" Martha asked.

"One of the technical crewmen, Steven" he responded simply with a smile, as he looked at her with an unwavering and charming gaze. "You know him, average build, dark hair, he's quite a bit more distinct when he smiles, plays the drums..."

Ah...damn...we didn't socialize with the crew that much now that I thought about it. I felt embarrassed. Then Martha nodded. "Yeah I know Steven" she smiled slowly.

"You must be Martha, he told me you taught him some dance steps before the summer" Luke smiled again and Martha matched his expression with one of her own.

"Oh yes! I remember now, I did him some dance steps before the summer" she laughed.

"He said you were a very patient teacher, I believe he was quite clumsy"

"Oh yes. Clumsy" Martha laughed. "He really was quite clumsy".

Sharpay raised an eyebrow. "Well that is just wonderful but tell us more about you Luke?" Sharpay pushed in one fluid, unpunctuated sentence.

Luke shrugged. "Not much to tell, I attend a high school, I have friends, I have family and I enjoy dancing." He looked at Sharpay. "I'm sure that answers all of your questions really"

Sharpay blinked and nodded. "Guess so"

"Hah – you're going easy on me" he smiled. "I appreciate it"

That was weird I admit, though hindsight is 50/50. Sharpay never went easy on anyone new, especially anyone I was close to, she was worse than the Spanish Inquisition and you expected the Sharpay Inquisition, even then, thumb-screws were preferable.

"Hey guys" Troy walked in and Gabriella shifted uneasily in her chair as he came in from the garden a tray of red cups and meats before him. "Last of Zeke's marinated chicken and lamb kebabs here and some punch, we'll be roasting marshmallows soon-ish".

Luke's lips twitched and for a moment I could have sworn he sneered at Troy as everyone reached up for the cups and kebabs. I grabbed two of each, a cup and kebab for me and another for Luke. I looked at the meat and vegetable covered stick. "Do you prefer the chicken?" I offered him mine but he smiled and instead accepted the punch.

"No, that was just very thoughtful of you, Ryan" he smiled and bit into the kebab. He nodded. "Very nice. My compliments to the chef."

"Zeke made it" Sharpay interjected and the young cook practically grew three feet in an instant with just that compliment. "He's an amazing cook, he made like half the food here...the good half"

"...hey" Gabriella said.

"SO!" I exclaimed, making Kelsi jump and nearly spill her drink. "Nearly time for senior year for us, us the gang, the gang of friends, the friends that don't kill each other".

Luke chuckled. "What colleges are you all looking at?" he enquired. "Or is that too early to say yet?"

"All of them" Taylor joked. Luke gave her a 1000-watt smile and Chad looked suitably un-amused, putting his arm tighter around her. Luke finished his punch, stood up and took my hand, I felt a little nervous...I mean I don't know why, everyone here was pretty damn cool about me and my sexuality but...that little gesture of taking my hand in front of witnesses...suddenly I was on my feet.

"I'm afraid I am going to have to go and find Steven...but..." he tugged on my hand gently. "Perhaps you will help me look for him? I need to ensure I get him home safely." I nodded and wandered after him. Chad gave a wolf whistle and Jason called "AWWOOOOGA" after us but I felt like I was floating on air.

We moved out into the back garden, everything was quieter and people were roasting marshmallows over a carefully controlled camp-fire device from The Gadget Store in town. Luke plucked a marshmallow off a stick, to the protests of perky Amber the head cheerleader. She was pissed off but the only notable thing she had ever done besides a perfect aerial splits was to welcome Martha onto the team for senior year.

Head cheerleader called Amber...that was so stereotypical... but she was quite nice really, though quite shallow and vapid when it came to boys and appearances. She had blonde hair that drifted just above her shoulders and an even shorter attention span. The sweet taste on my lips brought me rapidly back to Luke.

It was like my mind kept racing away from him and I gave him a quick peck on the lips (using a lot of my courage reserves in the process) to get her jealous. Then I turned my back on the symbol of the popular kids...and moved away with Luke.

"You have a diverse group of friends" Luke commented.

"Oh...yes I do, we all became closer this past summer" I smiled. "I play baseball with them"

"Oh you are a sporting man as well?"

"Hah, Nah...not really...well...actually I'm pretty good but...well I just played a little"

Luke walked around the side of the house with me, slowly, drawing out the walk with short paces and the occasional hesitant step. "Do you always feel so nervous about who is watching you? Like your friends or that blonde girl?"

"I – uh – I guess I do" I admitted. "Years in the theatre made me aware of eyes on me, but it's easier to hide when you're on stage than when you're off".

"Truer Words" he mused and leaned in for a kiss. I was more than happy to reciprocate as his hand slipped around the back of my neck, cool flesh making me shiver as it stroked the top of my spine with soft skin. He liked kissing me I think.

"So any sign of Steven?" I asked.

"Ah he may well be on the front porch with his friends. He and I were pen-pals, that is all, he has been kind to me since I came to visit my family"

"Who is your family?" I enquired at last. "I am so rude I never thought to ask"

Luke shook his head, his brown eyes peering deep into my mind. "Don't worry about them...let's focus on tonight...on a kiss, on you and me" and he kissed me again. Wow...from drought to deluge in less than a week.

He kept his hold on my hand and we came around the house to see people heading for their cars slowly but surely. "I hope you will call me" he smiled. "I would like to go and take in a show with you" he looked around and then led me out of sight of everyone. "Or just spend time in your arms"

I flushed again, geez he was charming...I was swooning like a school girl and my mind was all muddled...I mean...this was all so fast and yet...here I was being swept along with it. He leaned down and I felt a pinch before pleasure overwhelmed all my senses...everything just went into a haze...

And I felt myself floating in Luke's arms...

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><p>I woke up to the sound of tablets dissolving in water. I tried to roll over and promptly fell off the sofa I was strewn upon. My limbs felt heavy and I felt very, very warm but I struggled to turn onto my back and found myself looking up at Troy. "Morning" he said and offered me the fizzing glass. "For your head..." My pounding temples thanked him as I sat up and felt the bowling ball lodged in my skull roll around a bit. "Sharpay said you'd probably have a headache...and that a full scale nuclear war wouldn't rouse you"<p>

I pulled myself up onto the couch and looked at the duvet and pillow around me and took in the sight of the Bolton living room. "What am I doing here?" I wondered aloud.

"I told Sharpay to leave you here, said I'd drop you home" Troy sat down at the other side of the sofa. "You were pretty boozed up last night...apparently" I knocked back the powdery water and then looked at the East High Golden Boy. There was something in his tone that sounded...accusatory?

"What do you mean?" The night was a bit blurry.

"Well, the guys found you acting like a drunken monk under my basketball hoop. Sharpay got Zeke and Chad to go find you. They were worried they might...interrupt but they found you curled up and asleep near the garage" he raised an eyebrow. "They think you were drinking hard with Luke"

"I – uh I don't think I was" I said

"You weren't, the punch wasn't spiked, there was minimal alcohol allowed and I watched how much you drank, you had nothing but punch all night" Troy looked me straight in the eye and I felt my stomach do a little flip flop. "Did he get you high?"

"What?"

"Because if he did you didn't smell like it when we found you and that smell doesn't dissolve _that_ fast...dude...seriously your sister was worried, like obviously worried...in front of other people...she doesn't usually show that". He had a point. I picked my hat up and stood.

"I wasn't drinking. I wasn't on drugs. I – I was just feeling good..." I felt lame making excuses but Luke wouldn't drug me...I know he wouldn't...hah...no he totally wouldn't. I just remembered those dark eyes and I knew he wouldn't... "Thanks for looking after me, I should get home though". Troy grabbed his keys from the hall table as we walked past.

"I told Sharpay I'd drop you home, so..."

I grumbled but it was better than calling Sharpay for a lift. The lecture was one of those things that made being set alight seem like fun. I checked the clock in Troy's beat up old truck and saw that it was 11.22 – wow I never slept this late...I'd be so behind on my Yoga it would be a nightmare to catch up. Once you fall out of a routine it can be so hard to get back to it.

We drove in silence and about halfway to the house I took out my phone and checked my messages. I gasped and reached into my pocket, my hands locating the piece of folded paper and Luke's number on it. Troy's eyes darted to me and then back to the road. "He gave me his number" I explained.

"Oh...uh...great...just, be careful dude" he murmured.

I frowned. "Be careful of what?"

"Just...I mean you don't really KNOW this guy, you know? Plus there's something off about him"

"Same thing that's "off" about me maybe?" I grunted. God I felt cranky.

"What? That's not what I mean"

"You sure? I mean seems like if this was a girl I was seeing the accusations wouldn't be that I'm too dumb to notice when someone is dangerous" I growled.

Troy frowned and took a few moments to compose himself. "I don't care if you date guys or girls but I do care that there is something weird about this Luke guy". I know I should have agreed but instead I snapped at him: "Yeah sure Troy, the fact we're both guys doesn't bother you".

"Seriously it doesn't bother me, Luke bothers me, and there is something seriously weird about him!"

I just turned away from him. "Troy! Stop!" I snapped. "Just...stop".

The rest of the journey was awkward and I spent it wondering where all that anger had come from... I felt like I was guilty of something for standing up for whatever this was that I was having with Luke. This...sort of foundling relationship type...thing...god words were never my strong point.

We pulled up at the main gates and I practically threw myself out of the truck. "Thanks" I said. "See you at Chad's". Troy opened his mouth to say something and I felt myself shifting my body language to challenge him. He just closed his mouth gave a flat smile and nodded.

I used my key on the small gate beside the main gates and punched in the access code. The house looked bigger than it actually was; the fact we were on a hill for instance did a lot of the work in making it seem imposing. I cast a glance over my shoulder at the top of the steps alongside the driveway and saw Troy leaning out the window of his car watching me...I could feel the concern...

* * *

><p>Chad's party was pretty unofficial; lots of drink, his parents were visiting relatives in Seattle and ...was that Michael Crawford in their refrigerator? What the hell?<p>

Gabriella was standing behind the door when he closed it. "Hey" she said softly.

Ryan smiled. "Hi". Then I got a bit defensive. "You're not going to start probing me about my love life are you?" I asked warily.

Gabriella shook her head, her long wavy black hair shaking along her tanned skin as she did. "No, no that's none of my business" she said calmly. "I was going to ask how you're doing though...Luke, are you and he official yet?"

I shrugged. "We saw some late night movies on Tuesday" I thought back to the make out session in the theatre...late showings of classics a great place to find make out time. "Then before that we went to an Italian restaurant and a small cabaret show...he's a big fan of dance" I was so happy it was stupid, my logical brain said that I was blowing things out of proportion, that I was watching too many romantic comedies.

Gabriella offered me a cup of orange juice and poured a dash of blackcurrant punch in, she didn't drink alcohol...I on the other hand did. I added some vodka and took a sip, the heat of the liquid playing along my tongue. I shivered a little. "Thanks for not prying..."

"I heard Troy bugged you about it" she admitted. I cocked an eyebrow at her. "...Indirectly" she added. "I also believe you know that I won't be around for the full year". I nodded. "I'm going to miss everyone, I mean I will be back, this is the best home I've ever had...and Mom is pretty much a permanent fixture now but..." she shook her head. "I will miss everyone on a day to day basis, hanging out in the lab, watching the games...little things".

"We'll miss you too" I smiled. We hugged. It was nice.

"Keep an eye on Troy for me, a sensible one, Jason and Chad tend to get him to do stupid things" she said, her eyes getting misty with tears as she spoke. I nodded though I wasn't sure how easy that could be. "And I don't trust Sharpay not to jump him" she joked.

"She's pretty into Zeke"

"I know. I hope let's him know that otherwise he may pine away into an early grave"

"She's not good at admitting stuff like that" I agreed as I took another drink, the vodka and orange juice mixing properly into a different taste, something that was a little of both and something wholly of itself...like a good relationship formed from two individuals but neither totally lost in the big blob of what it had become. That's the stuff. The drink I mean.

Gabriella and I walked out onto the porch to find Martha and Amber talking, Amber had just arrived and was still wearing her cute blue coat over a cream dress and slip on shoes, she had her phone in one hand and was shaking slightly. Martha patted her on the shoulder and two of the other cheerleaders helped her to a seat.

"What's wrong?" Gabriella asked slight confusion on her features.

Amber was being fanned by one of the Cheerleaders. "It's Joey, the Mascot, The East High Wildcat... uh...he's missing" Martha said quietly. "He vanished before work a few nights ago and hasn't turned up since. He's Amber's next door neighbour and she's just heard, they want people to ask around"

"Joey's missing!" I practically jumped as Chad's voice rang out behind me and turned to face the large-haired boy. He was with Zeke (and Sharpay) and Troy and Jason. Kelsi and Taylor were approaching with a few other concerned faces.

"Yeah he was working the early shift at the 7-11 down on Bowers Avenue and he never turned up. His parents were out of town until Thursday so he was missing for two days before they realised he was gone..." Amber sniffled as Martha explained. "The reports are only getting filed now but...well... if anyone knows anything -"

"Dude can I grab your dads Karaoke Mic?" Troy asked. Sharpay and I raised duel eyebrows and Chad flinched, muttered something about "Music of the Night" and "Anniversary" and then nodded. Troy was gone in a flash and back a heartbeat later, moving towards the sound system which was pumping out some Eminem to the dancing students. Troy flicked a few switches and held the mic to his lips. "Hey guys" the feedback certainly got everyone's attention. "Hey, okay sorry to interrupt but we have a situation, okay so Joey Pescalini the Wildcat Mascot is apparently missing" he slid his free hand into his pocket. "He hasn't been seen since like Tuesday evening and if anyone saw him then or since could you please call the police and let them know?"

He was genuinely concerned...and I felt bad for talking to him the way I had. He turned the music back on but at a lower volume and several people were talking in shocked tones. Amber thanked Troy and she and Martha moved inside. Troy went with them and Kelsi looked at me with shocked eyes. "Wow...poor Joey, he's so quiet...I mean...he helped with front of house at Twinkle Towne, I hope he's okay" Kelsi murmured.

"How does Amber know him?" Sharpay asked.

"They've been neighbours since they were 3, everyone knew he had a thing for her, she still only dated footballers and basketball players but they were close" Zeke said calmly. "I think she liked him too, she just never said it and that's probably why she's so upset." Sharpay shifted uneasily.

"I'll go check on her" she murmured and moved into the house.

"Wow...downer..." Jason said as he came up to them. "I couldn't even load Kelsi' drink with tobacco anymore" Kelsi frowned and Jason cracked a slight smile. "Kidding, that's a step too far" he admitted. Kelsi gave a faint smile and then shook her head. "Geez. Poor Joey, I hope he's like, just forgotten to tell his parents he went somewhere..."

I nodded and looked in the window to Troy who was talking to a tearful Amber. This last party was not going to end on a high note.

* * *

><p>They found Joey's body the next day, out in the desert at an abandoned gas station. Some trucker had seen lights on out there, thought it was pesky kids lighting up and decided to call it in because sometimes it was handy in getting minor violations overlooked or looked on favourably...and they found the body. If he hadn't called it in it might have been weeks...<p>

Amber was devastated. Joey's family was horrified.

The papers had no consistent explanation...details remained sketchy and as we returned to school I was asked to fill in as mascot by Amber and Martha. Martha called in a favour from Lava Springs involving me getting locked out of my room in just a towel and I couldn't refuse her. Just if they couldn't find a junior class man that would do it.

Ever since they found Joey's body Amber had been handing parts of her captaincy to Martha who was so organised she was second only to Taylor. They were going to be co captains before midterm.

I had several dates with Luke, just the two of us. We saw Casablanca in the same cinema as last time, making out in the darkness when we weren't listening to the black and white icons on screen. Luke worked all day but he was always energetic and enthusiastic at night and it was incredible to see. Kissing him filled me with energy and he never pushed for more.

We went to the last night of the funfair, I was nervous, I mean it was well attended by East High students and people from the area I lived in. Would we hold hands? Would we ride the tunnel of love? He grasped my hand the minute we were in the gates and lead me towards the tunnel of love. "Seems ideal" he explained. "So near the entrance, an omen for us" he handed the tickets we'd gotten at the front gate to the attendant who raised an eyebrow at us but kept his mouth shut.

I grinned like an idiot as he lifted me into the swan boat (he was nicely built and very strong) and perched me on his lap to make out. There were cupids around us as he leaned in for a kiss and in the darkness interspersed with pink light fixtures he kissed his way down my neck, another love bite and the world went blurry with beauty...I gasped and when we emerged from the tunnel of love I stumbled a little, lightheaded from the rush he gave me.

He smiled at me and we enjoyed the fair together.

When I started school I was pretty okay, there were looks and mutterings but Sharpay and I had the big entrance we always had with the Drama Club and suddenly it wasn't quite so bad. I had other people supporting me and that's what mattered. The Winter Musical was going to be on and Shar had already convinced Ms. Darbus to do something big and flashy...the kind of thing that would dissuade Gabriella from getting involved. She may be petty, but she's my sister. I just prayed there'd be something for me in the script that didn't involve playing my sisters love interest.

Eww. Gross.

* * *

><p>Troy was at my locker at the end of the day. There was a rose stuck to the locker with a note and he was eying it like it was nuclear waste. "You've got a fan" he noted.<p>

I nodded and plucked the rose and card from my locker, peeling away the tape absentmindedly and checking the card. "Missing You Already, L". I put my phone and books in my locker and searched for my play script.

"Luke?"

"Yeah"

"That's nice..."

"He's gone back to New York" I said. "I saw him off last night...his flight left an hour ago"

"How'd he get the rose to your locker?"

"Probably got his friend to do it" I smiled. Troy made a noise in the back of his throat and I opened my locker with a bit more force than I had intended. "Need a lozenge?" I grunted.

"No...Just...so you guys are off then?"

"Don't sound so excited" my possessiveness was alien to me, but when it came to Luke. "We're trying long distance". Troy made another small noise and I slammed my locker shut. "What?"

"Nothing – nothing – look I'm sorry I don't mean to be pushy it's just, you know, look can we go and sit down and talk or something? I feel like I've put both my feet in my mouth and I'd like to try and smooth things out...please?" Troy gave me the puppy dog eyes and I sighed, relenting.

"Fine, you are permitted to buy me a coffee" I smiled at last, tucking my phone into my bag.

"Why thank you sirrah" he said in his best British accent. I chuckled a little and headed out to his truck with him. I winced as it wheezed to life and cast a glance at a flushed looking Troy.

"I'm saving for something new"

"Save faster"

"That's what Chad keeps saying"

"That guy is wise" I replied with a smile, sticking out my tongue. We chatted amicably about nothing in particular for the duration of the drive. The Coffee Pot was just enough out of the way that we wouldn't stand much chance of running into people we knew. I sat down with my Cappuccino and Troy with his regular coffee, half a pack of sugar, cream... the silence hung in the air for a while.

"So I'm sorry for being a dick about your relationship, I should have been more supportive and a lot friendlier" Troy said. "I mean, I know it can't be easy for you in High School but...well I'm happy if you're happy"

I sipped my drink and nodded. "Thanks Troy" I said at last. "If you got to know Luke, I promise, you'd see he was a nice guy and...And he makes me feel special" I flushed. "He writes poetry...I know it sounds corny but he says I inspire him and...And it's just nice to have someone who thinks of me that way".

Troy's smile didn't reach his eyes, it looked forced but though I felt the urge to say something about it I realised he was just trying to be supportive so I drank my coffee instead. "I-I'm glad" he said, his voice sounding forced. "I just want you to understand it wasn't...I just...you know when you just don't like a person on sight? That's how I felt about Luke and I really should have tried to get past that instead of throwing accusations around."

"Yeah. You should have. I don't like having to choose between friends and lovers" I sipped my coffee but could see over the rim a look on Troy's face that I categorically did not like. "What?"

"...well you chose him" Troy blurted out.

Everything seemed to go quiet. "Excuse me?"

"Dude you wandered off from your friends, you blew us off at the funfair when we waved at you, you started drinking heavily and it felt like you were kicking us to the curb now that you had a New York Boyfriend. We didn't get a chance to get to know this guy, you just kept going with him and ignoring us and it felt like you were saying we were beneath you two."

"Excuse me!" I exclaimed. A few people looked at us. I didn't care. "This from the guy that latched on to Gabriella and then dropped her for Italian Golf Shoes".

"You're the guy who actually wears all that stuff day to day" Troy responded, obviously getting angry, colour rising in his tanned cheeks and his eyes sparking with anger and frustration. "You'd die without your Prada."

"Oh nice one you jerk. Insult me because I dress well, God Luke is right about how I don't belong in East High" I stood up and grabbed my coat. "Fuck you Golden Boy; I don't need your approval, so fucking what if I spend time with someone who understands me it's better than being stuck with a group of people who barely tolerate my existence!"

"We're your friends"

"Yeah? Try acting like them rather than freaking the fuck out because I actually do something that makes me happy"

Troy was following me out of the shop as people stared. "He's weird"

"That's what you and your friends used to say about me" I gave a bitter laugh. "Sorry that implies you stopped saying it. Leave me the fuck alone Troy, Luke understands me. Luke accepts me. You guys could do with a few lessons". I stormed across the car park away from him.

"Hey! How are you going to get home?"

"I'll get a cab!"

"Ryan!"

"Or call my sister!" I shouted back, I felt like I was going to cry and I sure as heck wasn't going to let some dumb jock see that. It'd be a pretty long walk back home and the sky was already going red as sunset came. Ah I'd be fine...I let a few tears fall...it'd feel better if I did.

I didn't look back at Troy and cut through a small park to stop him following.

I was on the other side when I realised I'd left my bag in his truck...along with my phone...fuck...fuck...fuckfuckfuck.

Darkness had settled as I passed by East High again, that'd be the halfway mark really, not too long now. I looked at the stars and felt bad...I was being such a jerk, but then again so was Troy. My sister kept pestering me for details about Luke but I wanted just one think to be for me...damn it! "We don't talk anymore Ryan", "What's happening with you, Ryan?", "Where's he from? Who are his parents? Why don't you invite him over?" and so on and so forth until the end of time.

"Ryan"

I paused and looked around.

"Ryan" I was on a small side street, the last shards of sunrise fading away as night took hold. I looked to the source of the voice in the mouth of an alley and from the dark, emerging from it like he was part of the blackness came Luke. I blinked a few times. "Hello, beloved"

"Luke? I thought you were back in New York"

"I couldn't leave...not without you..." he advanced on me, his fingertips stroking my cheek in the empty street. "You and I belong together...you are my affinity, my love, my heart...I know that now... I see that..." he leaned in and kissed me softly.

"But..."

"Destiny spoke to me the day I saw you, Ryan. My heart was meant to beat for you, my lips were meant to kiss you..." he was quoting his poetry at me. "It said...take him away from this...he belongs in the night, like you...he deserves immortality"

I wasn't sure what he was saying but something in my primal brain tried to make me back off. His arm wrapped around my waist and I looked up into his eyes...the primal brain was silent and so I let him just hold me as we sank back into darkness. "You are truly my affinity" he whispered into my ear. "I want you to see how much you mean...where you belong..."he trailed his cool lips up my neck and I shivered, unable to move.

"We barely know each other" something inside me said and I felt him tense.

"That will change...shhh...I wish I could spare you some of what is to come...I wish I could be with you all of the way..." he kissed me and as he pulled back his eyes glowed gold in the dark...I gasped, I saw his canines extend and...the world swam with adrenaline, I arched my back and felt myself stiffen with arousal...he held the back of my head and had another arm around my waist...he held me close, let me grind against his firm body, I was barely aware of what was happening only the pleasure and fear building inside my body...it was so unlike anything I had ever experienced... I let out a small cry as I climaxed...and...darkness crept into my eyes, I saw the glowing gold of his eyes...they were the last things I saw as I fell back into death...my body sinking into the mire of silence...the afterglow ebbing out of my mind until there was only the feeling of coolness.

So this was it...

Troy had been right...

Oh God...how many more would lose their lives...if I'd listened I would be alive...hah...

* * *

><p><strong>Closing Thoughts: <strong>_Truth told, High School Musical irritated me because it was so...happy...it was also obscenely unrealistic about high school/secondary school. But I liked some of the characters and the fact a lot of them never got fully explored was a total downer. I can also appreciate that HSM had some good comedy in it so watching parts of it was a chore but sometimes it was pretty good. I focused on the characters and found something I felt like working with, to be honest though most of this was down to the writers of fics out there that fleshed characters out and some of the bit parts in the movies that were so very amusing. My friend suggested I look at it for something to AU as is my style... so I did and when I saw the different ideas people had and the way the characters were developed by them and the many ways they could be I decided to give it a shot. I toyed with a Freshmen like situation - the random developing of superpowers or some such and the concept of a postappocalyptica inside the High School...but in the end after all my study on vampire literature...I gave in and wrote this._

_Why? Coz im's a sucker for blood suckers.  
><em>


	2. In Which Troy Comes to Some Realisations

_So here we are, chapter 2. I was surprised how quickly this came to me. Go figure. I'd like to thank Neko-sama (an expert on this pairing might I say) for a wonderful review that really helped me return to this story so promptly. Neko-sama: I aim to keep this fresh and different, though it may prove difficult I'll admit, some tropes offer a challenge to do properly.I recommend everyone cast a glance to neko-sama's writings and profile page, very entertaining and fresh takes on the relationships. I look forward to getting back to my reading list of works from that particular catalogue. Also can i recommend Pieces of Us a Merlin/Arthur fic from the Merlin TV-show, I've recently favourited it because it brought me back to this site and its worth a read.  
><em>

_I don't want Troy just leaping into being gay or bi or Rysexual, his life is just not that easy, the Golden Boy routine is a lifestyle that doesn't include alternative sexuality, he's not really necessarily ready for that yet. Probably not by a long shot. But he is going to start realising what he is feeling. The crazy things love and affection make us do don't always make sense until we're halfway through._

_This next chapter has the fic switched to M because while the last chapter was Tame I decided to bandaid the sexual explicitness side of things and just sort of get the preliminary contact over with. It's been a while so mostly the part here is to dust the cobwebs off. It's solo action anyway._

* * *

><p><em><strong>WARNINGS:<strong> **M** for masturbation, monsters and mildly bad language depending on if you've ever watched anything after the watershed. _

_**FURTHER WARNINGS:** I'm not deliberately having a go at Twilight in the following chapter it's mentioned once or twice, you are entitled to like the series of books but you shouldn't expect everyone else to worship them. I find the female disempowerment of the books particularly aggravating and to clarify: I am a bloke. I also worry when anyone takes a book so close to heart they feel dumping acid on someone is a proper response for the vocalisation of dislike for the books. I grew up on Dracula, Carmilla, Varney and Ruthven, I'm afraid that even Angel and Spike couldn't hold a candle to them if they were on fire.  
><em>

* * *

><p><em><strong>Blood Will Out<strong>_

_**Troy**_

I'm Troy. I'm a Senior in East High and honest to God I think I'm a monster hunter.

Let's start at the beginning or somewhere after it. I don't know anymore.

Ryan Evans was dead.

Second East High Student Found Dead, the Albuquerque Journal announced...Joey the mascot had died just before the end of summer, his body found in an old gas station by pure accident. Ryan had been found seconds after his heart stopped by a gang of college students from U of A.

They'd disturbed some guy, run strait at him and he had fled. They didn't get a good look at him but they'd turned their attention to his victim...poor Ryan.

I'd been at home when the call came in; it was Gabriella so I'd been slow to answer, pacing myself to be calm, cool and collected. "Hello?"

"T-Troy?" she was in tears.

"Gabriella? What is it?"

"Oh God Troy, it- it's Ryan..."

"What?" I tensed as I heard the tone of her voice hitch with sorrow. "Is he hurt? What happened?"

"He- he's dead..."

I felt my brain fall backwards, the sensation of plunging hit me, a friend was dead... "What? What how...how do you..."

"Kelsi and I were getting our last cheque from Lava Springs...the police came and...God Sharpay was hysterical they had to sedate her, Kelsi and I were looking after her...when she came around she blurted it out...she's devastated Troy. They found his body in an alley and...apparently he was attacked..." she burst into tears and someone else said something on the other end of the phone. "Kelsi wants to talk to you"

I was already on my feet getting my keys. I didn't feel in touch with my body right now... "Okay, okay, I have to...where are you guys?"

"Troy? Its Kelsi...where are we? We're at the Evans place...Mrs. Evans and Mr. Evans have gone to identify the body we're staying with Sharpay. We've had our differences but...it was Ryan...and she's been torn apart by the news...look Troy...I saw you with him today..."

"I know, I know, I'm on my way over, then I'll talk to the police...was he really attacked?"

"Y-yes, they said so...to Sharpay at least...sorry look go to the police first...we-we'll be here until the Evans' get back"

"No the Evans estate is on my way..."

I raced downstairs and didn't even say a word to my parents. I couldn't believe this, Ryan...dead... he was only a few months younger than me...and an attack? That was so...it wasn't...right! I kicked the radio off and headed into the night, my phone buzzed but I ignored it, tossing it into the passenger seat where it landed on a leather satchel...Ryan's satchel...

* * *

><p>Kelsi buzzed me up to the Evans estate and let me in at the front door. I hugged her. She hugged me. Gabriella came into the hall and my feelings of betrayal aside I hugged her too. "Where's Sharpay?"<p>

"Upstairs, she's in Ryan's room right now" Gabriella said softly. "She won't let us see her...part vanity part grief I think." She shook her head, her dark hair hastily tied up and she was wearing a Wildcats hoodie over a sundress. "The Evans' are at the morgue, identifying the...identifying the...identifying Ryan". She sniffled and held a tissue to her nose. "Thanks for coming but Kelsi said you were with him this afternoon."

"I wanted to apologise to him" I said slowly...I replayed the day in my mind...stupid...how stupid was I. If I had just been more careful I wouldn't have made him leave, he wouldn't have been alone, he wouldn't have been attacked. He'd be alive. "If he and I hadn't fought...he'd not have been walking home alone..."

Kelsi opened her mouth to say something but was cut off by the sound of running steps coming down the stairs. Three seconds later Sharpay had launched herself at me, manicured nails trying to scrape my face. "You! Your fault" her eyes were red from tears, her voice ragged from sobbing and her body wracked with grieving cries. "You shouldn't have left him!" she shrieked.

I grabbed her wrists to keep the nails away from my face. "Jesus!" I gasped as she tried slapped me in the face. "I didn't know this was going to happen!"

"Get out! Get out of our house!" Sharpay screamed, battering my body with slaps as I turned to shield myself from her fury.

"He wouldn't come back, we argued and he left and he wouldn't accept a lift" I could feel the heat around my eyes. "I swear Sharpay I tried to get him to take a ride but he wouldn't he ran off..."

I retreated to one side as she continued her attack. "This is your fault" she screamed through her tears, sobs shaking her as she hit me over and over, her strength diminishing with every hit and Gabriella and Kelsi trying to hold her off. "Ugh...my brother...my little brother...you left him alone...Ryan couldn't defend himself..." she whimpered and hugged Kelsi. The shorter girl seemed shocked but patted her back and whispered soothing words.

"Troy, your face" Gabriella murmured, taking a fresh handkerchief from her pocket and applying it to my face. The pain lanced across the flesh and I realised Sharpay had gotten me with those talons of hers. Maybe the drawing of blood would satisfy her. I looked at her as she was lead upstairs by Kelsi, still crying, Kelsi herself was sobbing. I'd tried to be Ryan's friend. A good friend...but if I hadn't argued with him...

The front door opened and Mr and Mrs Evans entered with a police officer and a woman in her forties. "Oh...Troy..." Mrs. Evans said, her eyes were bleary from tears and she held a monogrammed handkerchief to her lips. "Hello...thank...thank you for coming..." she blinked a few times. "What happened to your face?"

I tried to find words to express how sorry I was for their loss. It just seemed pointless so I cut ahead. "I think I was the last person to see Ryan alive" I managed to choke out. The middle aged woman nearby raised an eyebrow and took a pencil and notepad out of her coat pocket.

"Well then...what's your name?"

I frowned at her. "Who are you?"

"Detective Angela Morris, Albuquerque PD" she replied. "I take it you want to have a chat"

I nodded. "I was on my way over...I had to come and see if...if everyone was...not okay but...I wanted to offer some support" I floundered for words after this. Mrs. Evans nodded and Mr. Evans offered me his hand to shake. I accepted.

"He always said you were kind to him" Mr. Evans said. "I know your kind, Troy, you're a good fellow, and I appreciate anything you can do to help the investigation".

"I hope you still feel that way after...I was the last one to see Ryan alive...we went to talk over coffee, I owed him an apology but we just argued again and...he stormed off and wouldn't talk to me and -" I felt my resolve break. "It's my fault, I am so sorry, if I'd just left it at sorry he wouldn't have run off and been found by some goon in an alley."

Mr. Evans and Mrs. Evans exchanged a look and then Darby reached out and put a hand on my shoulder. "Troy, darling, I don't blame you, we don't blame you, D-D-Ducky could be dramatic sometimes...he also tended to run away when he was upset...ever since this past summer he'd become more confident and maybe a little more stubborn...don't blame yourself it's just what happened." Her gates gave way and she started to cry again.

I looked at Detective Morris and nodded slowly. "Okay" I said. "I'll come down to the station and answer questions with you, g-get it all out of the way"

Det. Morris nodded slowly. "I appreciate that...do you want to call your parents?"

"Yes. Please" I said. I blinked. "His satchel...he left his bag in my truck, maybe that's evidence or something..." Detective Morris gave a "perk up slugger" kind of smile and nodded.

"Maybe" she nodded and opened the door.

I cast one more look back at Gabriella, the Evans' and Kelsi who was on the stairs. It was real. Ryan was dead.

* * *

><p>My mom was in the interview room with me. Dad was outside arguing with someone about something but it didn't matter. Detective Morris and her partner an Asian man in his late twenties named James Wong were sitting in with us as well.<p>

"I waited for Ryan at his locker, he arrived a while after last bell" I said. "He and I hadn't been talking since a party at my house and I wanted to patch things up so I offered to take him to the Coffee Pot on Burbank Drive to talk things out -"

"That's the opposite direction to where his home was"

"Yeah but everyone heads in that direction and I didn't want people to overhear us...I mean it was personal" I knew my mother was looking at me curiously.

"Personal how?" Det. Morris enquired, she was doing all the talking and Wong was just watching me closely. "Elaborate please."

I sighed. "Ryan was seeing this guy from New York. Luke something...I didn't like him, I thought he was getting Ryan into bad stuff – drugs and heavy drinking, before you ask – see he acted weird after they went off together alone at my party and had to stay on the couch". My mom nodded.

"He was acting very strangely but in the morning he was fine, I didn't see much cause for alarm"

"Thank you Mrs. Bolton. Continue Troy, what happened at the Coffee Pot?"

"Well we tried to mend the friendship, I mean it was still pretty new so we wanted to try and smooth over the fighting about Luke. I didn't like the guy...he seemed off...but Ryan liked him a lot and so I said I was happy for him...but...but then I had to go and say I thought he had chosen Luke over his friends and he got angry and stormed off. I ran after him and tried to talk him back but he was so angry that he just stormed off, I tried to catch up to him in my truck but he must have taken a pedestrian route because I couldn't find him. I tried calling him but he didn't pick up...I went home, shot some hoops, had dinner and I was doing my homework when I got the call from Gabby".

Detective Morris nodded and looked to Wong who pursed his lips and then leaned forward. "What was your relationship with Mr. Evans?"

"Ryan and I were starting to be good friends, over the summer we were closer than before and I got to know him in the first semester of last year, when we were doing our High School musical together. He helped choreograph it. We usually got along okay but we'd had that big fight lately. Ryan was gay and he was coming out and I wanted to support him but I didn't do a good job." I couldn't form a coherent sentence right now.

"Did you find his lifestyle choices...difficult to accept?" Wong enquired

"No. I mean...yes in that I didn't fully understand it but...it wasn't a choice it was Ryan, I mean he'd always been quite..." I chewed on my lower lip. "He'd never been ashamed of being himself and I respected that. I didn't care if he was gay or straight."

"Did you notice anyone following Mr. Evans at the café or around school?"

I shook my head. "Not that I'm aware of, he was usually with Sharpay, his sister, and their Drama crew. He played baseball with us over the summer but that's about it" I shifted uneasily under the Detectives gaze. "Ryan didn't have many friends until recently, everyone treated him like Sharpay's shadow or her pet or something...he was just getting out on his own and away from her."

"You mentioned his...boyfriend" Wong wasn't comfortable with that word.

"Luke" I nodded.

"Tell us about him"

"Um. He knew a guy called Dave in our year, he was from New York, he liked dancing and they met at a party in Ryan's house. I remember Ryan going over to him...that was the first night he got supremely drunk with the guy; over in the gazebo...punk didn't even look after him"

"And do you know where he was staying?"

"I think he was staying with family but I don't know anything beyond that" I closed my eyes for a minute. "He went back to New York today, around 2 o'clock or something...but he got his friend Dave to leave a rose on Ryan's locker with a card so Dave could tell you more."

"And what's Dave's last name"

I frowned. "I uh...I don't know". David was a common enough name... and Luke had never said who Dave was...except... "Martha said she knew him. Martha Cox, she's a cheerleader" I explained. "She knew Dave, she taught him to dance or something...she mentioned it at a party when she was talking to Luke, I think, I wasn't really in the conversation, I was just nearby..."

"Tell us Mr. Bolton, did you try to contact Mr. Evans at all after the fight? Did you see him again at all?" Wong enquired, his eyes scanning me like razors and putting me on edge.

"No. The last time I saw him he was leaving the parking lot...I tried to phone him but he didn't answer, it rang out..." something was wrong there. "After that I tried three times more but eventually I figured it was pointless".

"Did you touch his bag while it was in your truck?" Morris asked

"No" I replied. "I only noticed it when I tossed my phone onto the passenger seat..." I paused. "I though he had put his bag under the seat" I murmured.

"Speak up for the microphone" Morris said flatly, apparently it was a pet peeve.

"I said I thought his bag was under the chair, the passenger seat, it's where he put it and I know he forgot it in the coffee shop...but it was on top of the seat tonight" I said. The detectives exchanged a fleeting glance.

"Is it possible you made a mistake?" Morris enquired

"No. It was under the chair in my truck when we arrived and on the seat when I drove off later. I think someone went through his bag". My mind was racing...yeah he had put his leather satchel under the chair, he had been the first one out of the truck and when I was driving back I knew I had seen the satchel on the passenger seat. Something else...something else...damn what was it. "His phone was in his bag"

"No we found his phone on his body" Wong said. He grunted and I got the distinct feeling Morris had kicked him under the table. I got the distinct feeling Wong thought I was some sadistic gay basher. That I'd hunted Ryan down and... I shuddered.

How scared had he been? Had he tried to fight back? It was hard to think of Ryan hurting someone even to defend himself. They questioned me for hours and that thought stuck in my mind...my mother put her foot down, said I'd answered all the questions they asked, given them the information I had and come here voluntarily. Wong protested a bit, never raising his voice but never taking his eyes off me – Morris however nodded and thanked me for my cooperation.

I didn't go to school the next day, I was too tired, I didn't sleep...thinking of Ryan being killed by some psycho in an alley and...wondering...he didn't have his phone, I'm sure he never took it back out of his back, the slender little handset had been in there and he'd left it there...but when I called it there wasn't any ringing from the bag...his trousers were tight, I'd have surely seen an outline if I thought back.

Whoa, thinking on another guy's crotch couldn't be a wise choice.

Though Ryan's was hard to miss given how he used it for pelvic thrusts.

And I cried. He'd always been perky and energetic and so full of life and he would never dance again.

He really was a good person, never holding a grudge, never judging people and always smiling. He was so different to everyone else I knew. I turned over onto my back and stared at the ceiling thinking about the whole damn thing – thinking of how alone and frightened that poor guy must have been...

So yeah I didn't get much sleep because frankly I was in bed with guilt and regret and both of them kicked.

* * *

><p>When I went back to school I heard that Ms. Darbus was putting a showcase together in honour of Ryan, Sharpay had pushed for it and bullied everyone into helping. Every so often I felt people looking at me, word had spread I'd been the last person to see him and Sharpay had been vocal in her hatred of me.<p>

It was my fault. My fault Ryan was dead. That's what she thought and she wasn't alone. I thought it too. If only I had watched what I said. If only I had forced him to get into the car...it wouldn't have been kind but he'd be alive.

Chad and Taylor and Jason sat with me at lunch but Sharpay had Zeke on a leash, she told him she would never acknowledge his existence ever again if he spoke to me publicly. Zeke kept shooting me apologetic glances and part of me resented him.

"God, I can't believe Zeke" Taylor said. "Sharpay is seriously trying to pin this all on you, I mean, she's telling everyone you're some basher or something. It's totally sick I mean you liked Ryan, he was your friend."

Chad nodded. "He was a good guy. Pitched a mean ball. We're all cut up about it...I mean especially since it looks like a random attack".

I winced but felt a strange instinct rise inside me. "I wasn't able to read the papers...what did they say?" I asked quietly.

Taylor bit her lip and exchanged a look with Chad who seemed uneasy. Jason poked his jello. "Just that he hit his head and died or was like hit on the head. The students that found him said they thought he was being strangled..."

I felt my stomach churn in disgust. "So...anyone heard from that Luke guy?"

Taylor looked at me. "You mean Ryan's boyfriend? No, he's back in New York though, I mean...it'll be hard to find him, right?"

"No, they have his phone...they just call him back" I replied.

"Well we haven't heard anything. He'll probably be at the funeral" Chad said. "They must have gotten in contact with him by now". Martha sat down at the table with Amber. "Hey ladies"

"Hi" Martha said distantly. "Troy...did you tell the police I knew this Luke guy?"

Everyone looked at her and then at me.

"Yeah, well no, I told them you knew his friend Dave"

"...Dave who?" she frowned. "God everyone keeps mentioning this guy and I have no idea who he is" she sighed in exasperation. Everyone was silent for a moment.

"You taught him how to dance or something" Jason said slowly. "You said you taught Dave how to dance."

Martha smiled blankly. "Oh yeah I taught him some dance steps before summer" she resumed eating her chicken salad pasta and then moments later noticed everyone staring at her. "What?"

"I thought you said you didn't know Dave" Taylor said carefully, noting the same thing I did, the complete lack.

"I don't know any David's, Dave's or Daffyd's" Martha said tersely, uncharacteristically harsh in her response. Taylor raised both her hands, fingers spread wide in defensive position.

"But you just said you taught him some dance steps before summer" Jason said with Martha joining in with him on the last three words. The air suddenly became really tense as Martha began rubbing her temples.

"What is going on?" Amber murmured, scanning the table for an answer.

Luke.

Luke was behind this.

I felt the carton of milk in my hand crumble as I envisioned strangling the bastard...he'd killed Ryan. I knew it...I just had to prove it...

* * *

><p>A day later I was officially no longer a suspect, I could return to school on the Monday exonerated of all blame but that which I had taken upon myself. Mrs. Ortiz next door had seen me and my dad shooting hoops around the time Ryan was attacked, in addition I took a route home that mean I went away from the way Ryan was found, being seen by a gas station attendant and the CCTV camera not long after my fight with Ryan.<p>

Sharpay apparently wasn't convinced, she'd tried to get her parents to push for an arrest but they weren't about to risk ruining the investigation on her whim. According to some second hand gossip she had caused a scene in the police department by shouting abuse at Detectives Wong and Morris for not doing their job as she saw it.

I was pretty focused on finding out about Luke. No one seemed to know anything about him beyond what I knew. New York. Dance. Was seen with Ryan. Handsome. Javier said the guy had been to Lava Springs once or twice. No Dave's in the school knew him. Last names were out. I'd gone to Morris and Wong but they said they had no leads on him and wouldn't tell me anything. The frustration was getting out of hand, especially with Ryan's funeral. It had been five days since his death and everyone was on edge about it. The funeral was tomorrow night and then the following night would be Ms. Darbus' showcase, the money was going to go to a performance school for under privileged children that the Evans' said Ryan had been fond of.

I took my books out of my locker and when I closed the door I found Sharpay in her massive sunglasses, white leather jacket, pink skirt and stiletto boots. "Sharpay" I said, as I soothed my shock reaction down quickly.

"You listen to me, Troy Bolton, my brother is dead because of you, you are responsible for his death because you let him walk home alone, you left him defenceless. I hope you know to stay the hell away from the funeral because I am going to find out who killed my brother and when I do I am going to make them pay for every drop of suffering they caused him twice over" she jabbed my chest with a manicured nail. "If I find anything *anything* that suggests you were any more involved in this than you already are... I will turn you inside out and tan your hide to make you a basketball, then I'll take you to goal some hoops in your own front lawn"

"Shoot some hoops" I corrected automatically.

"I. Don't. Care" she snarled and stormed off, the crowds parting in fear.

"I'm sorry dude" I turned to find Zeke standing behind me. "I tried to talk her down but she's too upset" he looked at his sneakers and then back up at me. "I can't abandon her dude, I can't leave her, she's so devastated that I'd worry about her if she was alone. I have to make sure she eats and she's been...well trying to investigate" he hesitated. "I understand if you're angry but...she's just grieving, she feels so guilty about it all."

I said nothing for a moment and then laid a hand on his shoulder. "She's lucky to have you, dude" I said and earned a small smile in return.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah. I just...I blame myself too"

"Yeah, we can tell, it's just no one knows how to talk to you about it" Zeke admitted. "But if you need to talk to us, anyone, just do it. We're here for you".

I got the same conversation four more times, from Chad, from Jason, from Kelsi and from Taylor throughout the day. Darbus had an announcement at the start of the class, I felt the daggers being glared at me by Sharpay digging into my back and cast a glance at Ryan's empty seat...it had a black ribbon tied around the chair...

"As you all know the Drama club has been preparing a showcase in honour of Mr. Ryan Evans...a sweet young man taken too early from us" Darbus stood on her little stage looking down at everyone with compassionate eyes. She'd really started to treat the class like...more than Dramatics and non-Dramatics. She could still be a windbag but the class thought of her as their windbag. Troy's dad had even told him that Darbus had gone to the police station to give him a character witness "just to be sure justice was not blinded by sensationalism" in her words and that she had gone to bat for the showcase idea when Matsui was originally just going to mention Ryan over the PA on the day of the funeral and send flowers. She'd even gone out of her way to get homeroom duty for the gang again.

"The showcase will be on Wednesday night, here in the school in the Theatre, everyone has worked so hard to put it together and a small entry fee will be asked for to pass on in Ryan's name to a very noble charity. One that will allow less fortunate children to follow the dream to the stage that Ryan so greatly wished to pursue. Remember children his funeral is tomorrow and if you are intending to attend I ask only that you have your parents send a notification" she levelled a steely gaze at the class. "If *anyone* attempts to use Ryan's funeral as an excuse to play truant so they can grind flips on the quarter pipe or space-book yourself on the world wide interweb I will personally see to it that your detention becomes a permanent state of being". There was a collective gulp at the tone of her voice...she really had liked Ryan. Like anyone that knew him. "Remember children...life is fleeting, treasure it, for when we pass -" she choked for a moment on her emotions. "When we pass on we must always remember we enter into the energies of the universe, we are never without those we have lost, and we simply need to keep them in our hearts."

I looked over my shoulder at Sharpay, she had her sunglasses on and I could see her steadying her breathing so she could keep her cool. She glanced at me and I felt a knife in that look sent straight for my heart.

I needed to focus my thoughts here. I had to do...something...but what? Sing in the showcase? It was a little late for that. Pressure the police? Wong would probably shoot me. I needed advice but I didn't need my friends trying to make me feel better, I didn't need my dad being manly about it and telling me to keep my nose clean and I sure as heck didn't need the councillor...she smelt of Lemon Pledge all the damn time!

I looked at Ms. Darbus as she walked across the stage and explained something about the cafeteria and let Martha and Taylor talk about Prom. Prom... huh...I looked over my shoulder at Gabriella who was taking notes on even this. She looked up and caught my eye, giving me a soft smile and then returning to work.

I did a lot of looking at people...maybe that's what I needed to do. I needed to find Luke, right?

Someone needed to talk me around and to be honest I think it needed to be a teacher.

Darbus.

* * *

><p>The herbal tea was green; a deep emerald green, it swirled into the cup and Ms. Darbus poured another for herself before resting the silver tea pot on its service to her left. Her office had a faint dash of incense, wind chimes and was like a larger version of her "throne" at the top of class. The filing cabinet was covered in pictures and the walls had drapes and posters on them along with wind chimes and tourist pieces from all over the world.<p>

"This is a charming brew I retrieved in India, it helps purify the body and the spirit" she explained in what I think was calm for Darbus. The cool breeze of the window jingled a few chimes into a symphony and my eyes drifted across the photos she had lined up near the window, of her and her students. Sharpay and Ryan were there, this year's drama club presidents. "You look like someone with a troubled spirit Troy" she said, removing her glasses to look me in the eye.

"I blame myself for Ryan's death" I said simply. "It's been keeping me awake, how much he suffered, how scared he must have been -"

"I understand your concerns but he was the victim of a savage and random attack" she said and I got the sense that (and maybe this was just hope talking) she didn't believe it was a random attack. Suddenly I felt a well of strength building up. I wasn't the only one that felt something awry.

"No. I don't think he was" I said. The statement hung in the air and Darbus didn't even flinch. She felt it too. I could tell. "I know the guy he was seeing, Luke...I know he's involved somehow."

Ms. Darbus put her teacup down and I sipped mine...it was bitter but sweet as well, tingling my tongue and warming my stomach. Darbus reached into a desk drawer and handed me a slip of paper with funny symbols on it. "A Japanese Ofuda, for luck, I sense you are going to be investigating dangerous things, Mr. Bolton and I feel I cannot deter you, not for very long at least. So I give you this for luck and a bit of information, the inquest is this afternoon, Sharpay will be attending with her family, which means that by tonight the coroner's office will have the full report to file away" she looked me levelly. "When I was younger I had quite the Agatha Christie complex – I snooped a great deal, I don't think I can stop you and, as it happens, the Albuquerque Morgue has a very poor guardsman at the door Friday through Monday, he tends to fall asleep watching the W-W-W-W-E or whatever it is. I hope that will satisfy your curiosity because if you are caught I will not be coming to any kind of rescue".

My homeroom teacher was telling me how to break into a morgue.

And this was not going to be as out of body as today would get, I would soon find out.

There was a knock on the door and Sharpay's "personal assistant" (Corona, Bracelet, oh, Tiara!) entered with a stack of papers under her arm. "Excuse me Ms. Darbus" the British girl said as she peered in and eyed me up. "Sharpay wanted to give you her notes on the Winter Musicale script".

Ms Darbus gave a smile and Tiara returned one. A Fake One. "Thank you Ms. Gold"

Tiara Gold? What a stage name. That's what Ryan would have said. I missed him, over the summer he'd been a pretty interesting person to just sit and talk to. He never complained, he just listened and gave an honest opinion. Someone who was that kind-hearted was hard to come by these days.

Ms. Darbus finally got rid of Tiara, who was asking a lot of questions about the presidency of the Drama Club and I wondered why she didn't just ask the actual president. Co-president. President.

"Thanks for the tea" I said as I stood to leave.

"He spoke highly of you, Troy, he came to see a show I did over the summer and he told me about the debacle in Lava Springs. I'm sorry I missed his first fully credited choreographing project but he said he played cupid to yourself and Miss Montez and that you were someone he respected for being able to own up to your mistakes" she watched me for a moment as I processed the information. "If you want to investigate his death yourself, be careful, very dangerous things lie out there in this world Troy. It might be best if you left them be."

"I can't" I said at last. "Thanks again. I'll see you tomorrow"

"Yes Troy. Take care."

* * *

><p>I watched the clock for every class I had that day, I kept the beat of the clock with me, tapping my pencil off my sneaker, my table, my head, each second drilling into my mind. I needed to go home and watch some Hardy Boys or something, pick up a few tips for this kind of thing. The moment the bell rang I was moving.<p>

"Hey dude where are you going!" Chad called.

"Got an appointment to keep!" I called back over my shoulder.

"But the big game is..." his voice faded out as I ran straight out of the school.

I headed straight home. I looked up the morgue online, made sure I had the right address...yeah it wasn't too far away. This was so stupid, I could get in serious trouble...but...Martha...she was so confused and repeating what Luke had said to her, but never knowing what she was saying. This was weird with a capital W-E-I-R-D and I needed answers. So I was going to Scooby-Gang this situation because I would go mad if I didn't find out something approaching the truth.

It was sunset when I left, I had dinner, packed a small bag and hit it in my truck, then told Mom and Dad I was going out for a drive to clear my head.

I was actually doing this.

What the hell?

The Morgue in the area was near the University of Albuquerque and attached to a civic records office. I'd actually gotten some stuff stamped for my licence and passport here. I parked three blocks away in a small parking lot and pulled on my hooded black zip-up over my dark jeans. I pulled on a peaked cap and walked the three blocks to the Morgue. It started raining around block two.

I hurry up the steps to the main entrance, the door is still open, it stays open until 10 for phonecalls and delivieries from what the internet told me. I slip in and hurry across the lobby, hood up, aware that it's so very damn suspicious. I edge down the corridor to the stairwell and time my run to avoid a camera sweep. _I feel so James Bond right now it's fricking unbelievable_.

The adrenaline is taking over, I swear I must look like an idiot but as I descend the metal stairs I realise just how much I don't care. I pull open the door and peer into the hall. The sounds of wrestling cheers and snoring reach my ears and I spot the security camera turning just in time to duck back into the hall. Old model, sleeping guard...cake walk...yeah...cake walk...adrenaline makes me stupid it seems, it's not the usual adrenaline I get from a game of basketball...it's big stuff...

I dart along the corridor, ducking past the desk and Mission Impossible style sliding along the wall to the Morgue.

It smells like death washed away in here, the scent is extreme amounts of bleach and cleaning fluids and its...a bit scary in some ways. The effort to hide the smell and residue of death just drives it further home. Ryan's body is definitely already at the funeral home but I avoid looking just in case – I don't need to see that.

The lucky charm in my back pocket is working overdrive, the filing cabinet is unlocked, I pull it open with my sleeve pulled down over my fingers and search the E section for Ryan's file. Before I find it however I hear the door open. I duck under a desk as a pair of high heeled footsteps walk into the room. I hesitate for a moment and then peer out, black flared pants, a white t-shirt and black waistcoat over it, blonde hair swept up and tied under a black hat...wait...that's one of Ryan's hats. I slowly easy my way out from under the desk as the figure fiddles with her handbag.

I moved forward slowly, carefully, reaching out I grabbed the hat and the Sharpay's long blonde locks tumbled down over her shoulders. "AHA!" I cried victoriously.

And that's when she tased me.

* * *

><p>I groaned as the heavy weight of unconsciousness was lifted off my mind and slowly opened my eyes. Sharpay was slapping my face.<p>

Ouch.

"I'm awake, I'm awake" I rasped, sitting up. "What the hell!" I growled at her as she put the stun gun back in her purse. "Sharpay what are you doing here?"

"None of your business but I decided Ryan wouldn't want you left unconscious to face the music of my little Nancy Drew run" she replied. I got to my feet, my limbs tingling and numb but recovering pretty well.

"Where the hell did you get a stun gun?"

She showed me the pink handset. "I asked mummy and daddy for it" she replied. "Look I don't have any idea why you're here-"

"I think Luke killed Ryan" I blurted out.

Sharpay stared at me for a moment and gasped in relief. "Thank God I'm not the only one...you may be a dumb jock who was negligent and left my brother in a position where some sicko could kill him...but you didn't outright murder him" she looked around. "Come on, let's go"

"Wait!" I exclaimed, pointing to the filing cabinet. "I want to read his file"

"Oh don't worry I photocopied it" Sharpay said, flourishing a fat pink folder at me.

I stared for a minute.

"How long was I out for?"

"Not now, Troy!" Sharpay hissed as she opened the door. "I paid off a security guard to go on a 25 minute break we need to go now before he gets back!".

"Why not pay the morgue operator to give you the report?"

"Firstly that's outright illegal" Sharpay said as she and I hurried down a hall towards the side door. "Secondly I couldn't find the guy, the coroner; he went on holiday or something". She pushed open the door and pulled an umbrella out of her huge purse, opening it to shelter herself against the rain. I pulled up my hood and she led me to a black BMW. "Rental" she explained before I could ask. "I got Fulton to rent it out at Lava Springs, then I swiped the keys from the valet service"

"Swiped?"

"Okay so I promised Jake a date" she scoffed. "He needs a date to some convention out in Roswell... I don't get to wear silver very often so I can deal with it". I had a distinct feeling she wasn't fully informed on what Jake the valet (Jake Eisner) was into. X-files away.

"Get in" she sighed after a moment and I pulled open the passenger seat. I was expecting us to burn rubber but Sharpay instead checked her make up, touched up her hair and reapplied her lipgloss.

"Seriously?" I scoffed.

"Hey, if we speed out of here we're looking for trouble" she sighed as she finally got around to starting the engine. "Open the file and start reading" she instructed as the rain pelted down on us.

"This is a pretty big file" I noted.

"I filled the tank before I left Lava Springs, we'll be fine" she sighed in exasperation.

Yeah she was the exasperated one.

"wow...this is a lot of info" I commented. "I don't know if we can..." I stopped as I found the photo of Ryan, eyes closed, face pale, paler than ever before, he was so...peaceful. His full pink lips were paled and the rose in his cheeks was absent but...it looked like he was just sleeping.

"Troy!" Sharpay snapped. I came out of my trance and hurriedly put the photocopied image at the back. The high quality pages were still a little warm...trust Sharpay to get everything in colour quality. "What does it say"

"This thing has everything" I said. "Inventory of his personal effects, coat, shirt, underwear, jeans, runners, senior class ring, sterling silver necklace, matching bracelet and phone..." I frowned. "His phone was definitely in his bag. He didn't take it out of his bag...I know he didn't"

"Well d'uh. Luke needed his phone"

I nodded, realization dawning on me. "Only Ryan had his phone number" I said.

"Bingo, he had to erase any connection to him and I guess he stole the phone and put it on Ryan's body so there was no like suspicion about where it was. I mean no one I spoke too could like describe Luke or tell me anything much, y'know?"

"God, how many other guys did he kill?" The venom in my voice, the hatred for this guy, this monster and how much I wanted to find him was evident. Sharpay gave a little shudder.

"Read the report"

"It says Ryan died of – blood loss" but Sharpay said "Strangulation". "It says here that despite their being no puncture wounds he had very little blood in his system. Huh...but what little there was had an imbalance of sucrose, it was...sweetened...he was AB- ...um what am I looking for here?"

Sharpay frowned. "That doesn't sound like a bashing and...bloodloss...weird"

"Turn Right here please. A bashing victim would be...well...bashed...it says here he was missing blood and that he had extra sugars in what was left. He was down to like a pint or two through his entire system...I mean...what the absolute fuck?"

"The inquiry said that he was strangled" Sharpay said. "Mother and Daddy demanded a serious look and the coroners report said he was badly beaten and strangled. What on earth is going on!" She pulled up beside my van. "Okay the more I learn about this whole thing the weirder it gets I mean bloodloss I would get but not if there was no place for it to go...and why did they say it was strangulation? I mean come on, strangulation is not blood loss!" she didn't seem so sure on that last part but she was getting riled.

Riled Sharpay was frightening.

"I'm going to sue everyone...well daddy will" Sharpay growled, more to herself than anyone else and with more spite than I had ever heard from her. "How dare they! How dare they..._**ruin**_ my brother's investigation? That sick bastard will get away now" she was on the verge of tears I could hear it in her voice.

"Sharpay, hold on, hold on, Luke was supposed to have left the day Ryan was killed" I said. "That's what Ryan told me and..." I frowned as I pulled out a document listing the contents of his bag. Why was that in there? "...and...what if he didn't leave, what if he's still here?"

Sharpay pursed her lips. "Why would he hang around?"

"I don't know..." I muttered. "Maybe he's Dexter style watching the funeral"

"Lay off the Criminal Minds Bolton" Sharpay scoffed immediately and I glared at her.

"I have this feeling" I said simply. "The bastard is still here."

Sharpay pulled up next to my truck, the rain was still lashing down and she seemed to watch the drops for a few moments before looking at me. "...If he is still in town I want his head on a plate" she said. "He'll pay for what he did to Ryan". She was trembling with rage and remorse, I could see it clear as day. Sharpay was also showing something else I never thought I'd see from her. Guilt. I think she was blaming herself as much as she had blamed me, if not more.

Maybe the Drama Queen wasn't so cold after all.

"His funeral is tomorrow" she said quietly. "...You're welcome to be there"

I was going to go anyway but I understood the gesture. "Thanks" I said quietly. "If you figure anything out let me know".

She just nodded as I climbed out of the car and hurried through the rain to my own transport. When I got home I showered, the hot water washing the cold away from my body and down the drain. I felt the steam rising around me, caressing my skin and the water slithering around me in an embrace. I felt strange as I leaned my head against the cold tiles, feeling the touch of the water, the breath of the steam, the sensations danced across my skin and made my body fill with heat.

I rubbed the soap into my chest, my fingers brushing off my left nipple and buzzing my body more so than ever before. Everything felt more...intense...it was the adrenaline...it always did this too me but this time. This time it was practically making me combust. If this kept up I'd turn into an adrenaline junky.

I bit my lip and slit my hand downwards...

"TROY?" I jumped and quickly turned off the water. "Yeah Mom?"

"You left those we clothes on your floor again!" she called through the door. "The carpet will stink if you keep doing that" I winced. "Okay! Sorry!"

So much for that interval. God dating Gabriella had really ruined the sex part of my life...not that there had been much before I mean not since Lava Springs...it had been horribly awkward really, I mean sex was awkward by nature but...it felt like she was saying "now we're more than just boyfriend and girlfriend" after my little failure as a partner during the golf pro debacle. I really only thought about it that way afterwards, doubt I suppose, about how we felt about each other.

I lay down half tempted to pick up where I left off...but I just felt tired, so damn tired, so suddenly... I just closed my eyes and slept. No dreams. No nightmares. No waking up. Just sleeping...

* * *

><p>The funeral...I'd been to Joey's but...this was a lot more personal. Mr and Mrs. Evans were looking extremely shaken. Mrs. Evans dabbed her eyes behind her veil and Mr. Evans held her close with a grim line across his mouth, his knuckles white as the flowers were placed on his son's body. They'd chosen a closed casket funeral and resting on top of the cask was Ryan's red trilby with the white band around it.<p>

He'd worn that at Lava Springs, supporting his school...I had been such a jerk to him, jealous over a girl who was planning on leaving me anyway...I shook my head as the Evans came down the central aisle with Sharpay who had Zeke's hand and was holding back her tears. I shouldn't be so selfish, I should be thinking about Ryan.

He'd always been so bright and vital and bubbly and unapologetic for whom he was. When I thought about it he had really revelled in life, the singing and dancing. I think I envied that about him, I guess, he knew who he was and what he wanted.

Father Danby commenced the ceremony; he read from the bible, he talked about heaven. It felt dull and lifeless, well...traditional at least, it didn't feel like Ryan. Or maybe it felt like an affair without Ryan. Sharpay tried to give a reading but, and this shocked me plenty, for the first time in history the Drama Queen couldn't finish a performance, she just sobbed and had to let Zeke help her finish the reading. He held her the entire time.

Kelsi had prepared a piano piece to play as Ryan's body was lead out to be put in the graveyard by the church. It was carried by his father and uncles and cousins on their shoulders and followed by the entire church. Mrs. Darbus gave me a nod as she passed by, eyes red with tears, Chad and the others were standing at the back of the church, all with hats under their arms that they had worn in, as a salute to Ryan's trademark.

I trailed along to the graveside, joined by Kelsi along the way, I offered her my arm to lean on and she accepted.

The graveyard is pretty full, most of the church stayed down near the gates and it was a small congregation around the graveside. At first I'd felt weird going to stand there with his family and friends but I suppose Kelsi helped me keep walking. The coffin descended into the dark and I gave an involuntary shudder as they pulled the ropes back up.

Dust to Dust.

Ashes to Ashes.

Still wrong...he was too young to be dead. When I threw the soil into the grave it was cold and wet and clammy in my hand, sticking to my fingers and skin as if it didn't want to go into the blackness to join the too young to be dead body below.

I could feel my heart beating in my ears, fading out the words of the people around me and for some reason I suddenly felt like I had to throw up. "Troy!"

I turned to Kelsi as she tugged at me, worry on her face as she looked up at me. "Sorry...I guess I was just spaced...it feels like a bad dream, you know?"

"Yeah...yeah I get it" she said softly as we walked back. "Are you going to the wake?"

"I don't know" I admitted

"...I'd like it if you came with me" she said after a moment.

"You twisted my arm" I said almost instantly. "I just don't know if I should be there in a way, I mean I don't know if I was enough of a friend to him."

"He always liked you Troy, he always thought of you fondly" she said simply, a reassuring smile on her lips. "Trust in that."

* * *

><p>The Evans' estate was shadowy and dark with the funeral attendees gathered in the living room. The Kitchen was buzzing with caterers and the house felt manic and yet...heavy.<p>

"Thank you for coming Troy, you were always so kind to Ryan" Mrs. Evans had said when I came over to pay my respects. Mom and Dad were mingling nearby with Darbus and Kelsi' parents...part of me wished I had just blended in with them to pay my respects but I just couldn't do that to Ryan's memory. "He always told us how talented you were and how nicely you treated him."

"Yes, you were kind to our son and we won't ever forget that" Mr. Evans said, clasping my hand and shaking firmly. "Thank you for everything you did for him"

I felt nauseous as they spoke to me, I didn't deserve their thanks, and I just murmured things about how he would be missed and how sorry I was.

I don't know when I ended up upstairs or when I stepped into his room.

It was big. The walls were shades of blue, a strange spectrum of blue that rounded the walls in a loop of colour that was at its brightest near the head of his double bed. His homework still lay on the desk alongside a stack of Broadway musical CDs. I looked at the books on his shelves, the dance, and baseball and singing trophies. There was a picture from the summer at Lava Springs; it was me, Chad, Jason and Ryan in the kitchen over a bowl of fruit punch.

It was one of many Taylor had taken, hadn't even stuck out in my head but now I remembered the exact moment it had been taken. I felt a choking sensation in my throat at the recollection of Ryan. He'd always been warm, had such high body heat, such kindness, I could feel him under my arm now...as if we were back in that kitchen on that day. He'd always had such a slight frame, delicate, the grace he'd had would come from that softness of his motion and grace.

"Hi"

I turned to see Sharpay in the doorway. She shut the door behind her. "Sorry. I was just..."

"It's fine." She sat down on his bed and took a cuddly white bear from its hidden place under the duvet. I blinked as the little bear's bell jingled on its collar. "This is Wiboo" she murmured. "Mummy and Dad bought us two custom made bears for when we were born, it was some exercise about creating identity when we started talking though, letting us create ownership of our possessions. It was, like, empowerment or something. First thing Ryan ever named it was Wiboo and it kind of stuck in the long run." She hugged it close and buried her face into the back of his head.

"Sorry" I murmured. There was silence, a pregnant one that was waiting for Sharpay to say something.

"...I was so cruel to him" she whispered. "I was a terrible sister. I overshadowed him for years, I forced him into dark corners and I was so...manipulative. It took nearly 18 years for him to – to – get away from the job I'd stuck him in, as my lapdog" she looked at me with tear stained eyes. "I loved my brother, you have to believe me and originally...when we were growing up, I was just trying to look after him..." she sniffled and hugged the bear closer.

I sat on the foot of the bed. "He loved you too, he understood-"

"I don't think he did, I didn't, I used him like a tool! I feel so...awful for doing it and I didn't want to admit that I knew it was wrong, how I was treating him but...when we were 5 and living out in Long Island we tried out for the musical in our school, it was Hansel and Gretel" she sniffed. "He was the best singer and dancer but two boys in the class thought it was...thought he was a sissy for it...so they started pushing him around and he dropped out of the part and it made him so sad. He sort of faded because he wasn't performing..."

I looked her in the eyes, the sad, remorseful, blue eyes and she smiled a bit. "What happened?"

"I made them cry because I told them that their GI Joes were just Ken Dolls with short hair" we shared a short chuckle and I began to understand. "I never let him back down, we always went for the spotlight together...and when he realised he didn't like girls it helped prevent us ever having to stage kiss, I mean...eww" she leaned her head back against the head board of her dead brother's bed. "We always had this synergy and if I kept him close I could protect him and then it changed and it was if I kept him close...I could use him, I thought it was for his own good but...I lost my way and I will always regret how distant we became before I noticed."

"You really did think you were protecting him"

"To some extent...yes...I did..."

"I think he understood"

She smiled. "Liar" she sobbed before managing to compose herself again. It was surreal to see the Ice Queen showing so much emotion. "But I appreciate the sentiment". She put the bear down and sat up, teasing out her hair and dabbing her face with the sleeve of her long-sleeved black dress. "I paid a doctor to look at the records, this slightly crooked one that got fired but is so old they like keep him around as a museum fixture on the Lava Springs board because he sank some money into it as an investor. Totally marginal but he's got a thing for betting so I paid him a few grand and told him if he ever told anyone about it I'd, like, tell security I saw him spying on the women's changing rooms or something" she was smiling but it didn't reach her eyes. She shifted around. "I got an email back from him. It said that basically this wasn't a drug or a freak accident or some weird drug thing, that the report said nothing about a beating and that's when I asked my parents" she took in a deep breath. "My mother was inconsolable because my brother was badly bruised; she said she barely recognized him from the bruises".

We looked at each other for a second. She had Ryan's eyes but they were a colder blue, like arctic waters. "But the report said nothing about that kind of stuff and CSI tells us they always write that in their reports" I murmured. "What the hell is up with this?"

"I don't know" Sharpay admitted. "But he said there was something weird about the polysaccharide something's in Ryan's blood stream – I told him to like give me better info or I'd follow through on my promises". She stood up.

"So what do we do?" I asked. "This is...it's like the freakin X-files"

"Yeah I mean...blood loss...it's..." we both felt uneasy about what, in a world of fantasy, that particular facet implied. "Some...Twihard psycho"

"Y-yeah" she nodded. "You hear about it all the time those people that latch onto Twilight and Anne Rice and...I mean...if that were what we...if Ryan had..." she shook her head. "I have no idea what I'm saying but after the showcase tomorrow I'll be getting Mom and Dad to take a closer look."

Sharpay and I stepped out into the hall and she crossed to her own room (it had a star and her initials on it...could it be anyone else?). "Thanks Troy"

"I want to see the bastard that did this caught as much as -"

"No" she cut me off. "Thanks for...I don't think I've done much to deserve people being nice to me but, you, Kelsi, Martha, all the others...I appreciate it so very much."

I smiled at her and she gave me the first ever genuine smile back before entering her room. As I walked down the steps I found Zeke climbing up the steps with a tray of cookies. "I keep a stash of cookie dough in the freezer" he said with a sigh. "You seen Sharpay?"

"Yeah. We talked..."

Zeke smiled. "Thanks man"

I looked him over. "You really, really like her"

"Yeah. I see a side of her no one else does"

"Dude. TMI" I joked. We laughed like two guys should laugh and then were silent.

"I think she needed to know you'd forgiven her for blaming you"

"She wasn't wrong...if I'd just kept my mouth shut..."

"Nah man, she told me she thinks it was that guy he was seeing...I believe her because she believes it like she does, there's Sharpay trying to buy an illusion and there's Sharpay following her gut...and she's doing the last one on this" he said calmly. "I think Ryan was in danger either way"

"Doesn't change the feeling that I failed him" I said. "Better get those to Sharpay... she really is missing her brother. Grief doesn't even cover it."

Zeke nodded. "Take care man" he said as he headed on up with his cookie bounty.

I left after that. Just headed home and let sleep take me.

It wasn't dreamless this time. I just slept imagining Ryan running for his life, in fact I couldn't wake up...I was always just out of reach of Ryan, always a step behind, a second too late, chasing Ryan and whatever else was at Ryan's heels. And then it was at my heels...and then I woke up sweating and gasping and feeling the weight of failure on my chest.

* * *

><p>I was worn out at school the next day, barely able to focus on my classes, all those feelings of guilt had welled right back up and worse still they were accompanied by a kind of horrified confusion as to what exactly had happened to Ryan.<p>

Zeke and Kelsi caught me at lunch as I crept out of the cafeteria to eat alone and try to straighten my brain out. Zeke had the fliers for the showcase in his hands and Kelsi looked exhausted. She rested her head on my shoulder and groaned. "Sorry, I haven't slept well" she muttered into my sleeve. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine..." I muttered.

"Well enough to help me get a good audience and some stage hands for tonight?" Zeke enquired, the desperate hope in his voice ringing clear as a bell. I wasn't sure. "The other guys are...well **_I'm_ **not the bridge to the stage". I glanced around to see if I could see any Wildcats. Jason was standing nearby looking at us.

"Hey Jason, Zeke and Kelsi need a favour"

Jason floundered for a moment, then set his face in an angry expression, said something curt under his breath and stormed away. Kelsi looked up from my arm and watched him leave. "What's his issue?" she muttered.

"I have no idea" I looked at Zeke. "I'll see what I can do."

"Please! Sharpay will be gutted, she tried to make Matsui make the whole thing mandatory but he refused and she'll be devastated if there isn't a full house!" The whiny notes of his voice were covering the genuine concern of his words. It was cute. I envied him; having someone to really worry about like that...we grabbed lunch in the cafeteria after all. We chatted amicably; I broached the subject of the showcase and got reminded about practice tonight.

Kelsi had been excused from classes to help Sharpay with the showcase tonight, the Drama Club was pulled too thing with all the members trying to be in the show. That's how I ended up at the door to my father's office. There were voices coming from inside, a dull murmur that made me contemplate not knocking. I sighed and rapped my knuckles on the door. "Come in!" my father called. To my surprise the other person was Ms. Darbus. "Hey Troy" he nodded. "Something wrong?"

"Uh...Not really I was just wondering if we could...well even if it was just me...if we could skip practice tonight to go to the memorial showcase? The team want to go I think...and I don't feel like training when-"

My dad cut me off with a raise of his hand and a gentle, understanding look. "I was actually planning on putting everyone in the audience tonight. Principal Matsui has agreed to give a donation to the Limelight Charity"

I gave him a confused look, but an answer came from Darbus. "Limelight is a charity that Kelsi's mother helped to start a decade ago, Ryan used to help out, it has its base in New York, helping underprivileged children to learn music, dance and theatre to keep them off the streets" she rose, adjusting her scarf carefully. "I must run, benefit to do and so much work as well"

I turned as she left. "Ms. Darbus?" she glanced back at me. "If you need a few more volunteers..."

Fifteen minutes later most of the Wildcats were moving set around on stage; a few of the guys were even filling out the ranks of Martha's dancers. Fresh coats of paint were applied, lighting rigs were adjusted. It wasn't just the Drama Club anymore; especially not after Taylor heard and dragged the Science Club to partake. I looked up as Gabriella came in with a few of the others. She gave me a smile and then hurried along to help lift an Empire State Building model onto the stage.

Sharpay approached me with Zeke. "Zeke told me you helped swing everyone to join in"

"He was the pioneer" I said

Sharpay beamed at him. "I know. But your help was appreciated. Thank you."

She thanked me a lot, I think we'd bonded over some B&E and the fact no one believed us about Ryan's death and Luke's involvement. I think she wanted to reassure herself I was still on side. I was. I definitely was. The thought of the sleazy Luke Whoever lead me to paint a tree with particular vehemence.

When I found him I'd pull his heart out for what he had done.

Martha intervened to tell me that I'd painted over my own hand and that I might want to switch to organizing costume rails or something. She wasn't wrong.

I washed off, applied spirits to get rid of 97.4% of the paint on the back of my hand and put my back-up t-shirt on from my locker. Amber was at the door arranging some photographs on a tribute to Ryan. So may pictures of him dancing and performing...being alive...it was a grim reminder of how death took you suddenly, before your time, and a heart-warming recollection of someone who had loved the stage. Bittersweet, much?

"Hi" Amber said softly.

"Hi" I nodded.

"So...I hear you and Gabby broke up" I winced at what I feared was coming next.

"Mhm" I confirmed.

"...that surprises me" she admitted. "I always thought you two would do the high school sweet hearts thing". She stepped back from the board and looked up at me. "...I liked Joey. I liked him a lot. We grew up together and...And I always wanted to date him, but...the cheerleader thing. I never thought I should". Amber flashed me a smile. "You changed that, I just wish I'd capitalized on that change before... it was too late. You never really know how much you care about someone until they're gone."

"True" I said, the photograph of Ryan's eyes bore into my own and I had to look away to allow myself to as much as blink. Amber tied her hair up and patted me on the arm.

"Feels like Albuquerque's changed, doesn't it? I mean...this area in particular, I don't remember any murders and then suddenly..." she shook her head slowly, sadly. "We always take things for granted, peace, comfort, people, it's like High School makes us all selfish".

"And all you have are the regrets of what you didn't do" I said, not sure why I was saying it. "Yeah... how are you holding up?"

"School helps, the cheer squad, the trampoline, little distractions to help me just...heal. His Mom and Dad left last week, they couldn't stay in that house anymore. The sold it and moved to Idaho" she shrugged. "Pain in the echoes I guess. I can't blame them."

We walked into the auditorium, Sharpay approaching us. Amber stepped back. "I have to go check on Jason, Chad, Tamara and Leah, they're getting the cookies from the Home Ec room and Zeke promised some crème Brule to the people that helped carry them".

Oh yeah. Sharpay and Amber didn't get along. Something about crayons, Barbie Dolls and Miss Albuquerque 1995. Or so I'm told.

"I need a favour"

I winced. "What?"

"Allan has locked himself in the bathroom and is throwing up. His throat will be ruined, you have to sing with me" she insisted.

Because that had gone so well for us last time. "But -"

"You can borrow some clothes from Wardrobe to look the part better."

"I don't-"

"You already know the song" she thrust the sheet music at me. "What I've been looking for". Huh. Fitting. "Seriously! Get moving" she grunted in that stressed huff Zeke thought was adorable while everyone else fled for high ground.

"Yes, of course Sharpay" I said as she hurried away. "Sure I'll step in and sing."

I groaned and wandered off towards the Wardrobe department (it was amidst the dressing rooms sort of). I pulled a white shirt and black jacket out of the rails marked "Men" and checked the sizes. Perfect.

With all the girls using the changing rooms I decided to just hurry along. I whipped off my t-shirt, feeling the warm dark air of the wardrobe department/nook caress my skin. There was that familiar tingle in my body again. This time I felt like there were eyes on me, and to be honest... that was a bit of a turn on...I looked around but saw no one...it was probably just my exhibitionist streak. The pre-show buzz was rising and so was something in my pants.

I could get caught.

Someone could come by at any second.

So I should be quick.

I slid the door of the wardrobe closed a little and put the coat and shirt on the end of a rail. I liked my lips, my mouth dry from anticipation. This was risky and stupid...what the hell was I thinking?

I wasn't thinking. My dick was. I was stressed and excited and...Well nature took its course when it came to a young man. Screw it, here goes. I unzipped my pants slowly, my belt jingling as I moved it aside. My Calvin Klein's were stretched out and a wet patch was making them see through. I felt those imaginary eyes on me from nowhere in particular...I think I was kinkier than I liked to admit.

I slid my thumbs into the waistband of my underwear and gave my cock plenty of room. The feel of hard flesh exposed to the air made my body thump with the rhythm of my heart. I reached down and touched my erection slowly, sliding my fingers over it slowly, my hand was rough from labour and work and it felt good as I slowly began to move myself towards pleasure. I ran my left hand up my chest, tweaking my nipples slowly, trying to speed the process along.

I wanted to savour it as I let my pants slip and pool around my ankles, my ass still caught by the white briefs I wore. I quickened my pace, shivering as the waves of pleasure rippled across my body, my mind was swimming, I never had anything set in stone when I jerked off...not really, used to be Gabby I guess...or swimsuit models but...now it was...I don't know, the flickers and blurs increased as I closed my eyes in the silence and leaned my head back in the corner.

Ryan.

The thoughts came unbidden, his body in motion, his lips in a smile, his eyes...those summer sky blue eyes. I bucked my entire body tensing as I came so hard in my hands that I practically punched a hole in them. I staggered slightly, leaning back against an old desk lined with hats...I stayed there panting, feeling no gaze upon me anymore...my seed was pooled in my fingers and palm, I'd stopped it going anywhere else that I could see.

I listened for a few moments, no sounds in the corridor just off the nook, the dressing rooms bustled but...through doors and plywood walls. I was undiscovered.

I wiped my hands off in a tarp over some boxes and dressed in the new shirt and jacket.

I didn't want to analyse my climax.

I had a lot of things on my mind.

It was perfectly natural...

I rubbed my lower lip, sore from biting down on it in an effort to keep my silence and stepped out into the corridor. I looked around...I closed the second door on the wardrobe section and headed back towards the stage.

Once the curtain went up everything blurred and people took to the stage. Cyndra sang "Time to Say Goodbye", her voice staying moderated and controlled...definitely better than her audition all those months ago. "Time to say goodbye, paesi che no ho mai, veduto e vissuto con te". I wondered what that meant.

Allan's throat was too badly damaged from vomit to sing but he was able to stand and give a monologue from some play by James Joyce.

There were duologues, two of the cast did something from A Streetcar Named Desire, Ryan liked Tennessee Williams apparently, although I thought it was a musical – it turned out this was incorrect. Evidently the Simpsons lied.

Martha led a dance to "New York" and another to "America" from East Side Story. West Side. Sorry. I didn't know where a lot of them came from but Zeke was on hand to explain most of them. Chad accused him of having an Evans implant. We laughed. Then we got sombre. Especially when Zeke explained that "No Day but Today" from Rent was sung when some character called Angel died in the arms of his/her love (cross dresser fashion designer). Downer.

Sharpay and I followed a sign-and-speech performance of a Shakespearean sonnet about love and immortality. Apparently they all have numbers instead of names – go figure. I just knew his plays really.

Kelsi gave me a wink from the piano and I looked to Sharpay who was preparing her breathing as we waited for the curtain to rise. It wasn't flashy or over the top, just the two of us, in spotlights, accompanied on the piano. Sharpay was really showing a different side of herself. I didn't doubt she was trying to redeem herself to her brother.

"It's hard to believe. That I couldn't see...You were always there beside me"

"Thought I was alone with no one to hold...But you were always right beside me"

I think I went insane somewhere that night. In that song. Because I swear I heard Ryan singing too...from far away and as we finished I looked up. "So lonely before I finally found". It was Ryan. Standing in the darkness of the main doors to the theatre. I knew it was. "What I've been looking for" I couldn't look away from the figure in the doorway...the shape was Ryan's...it seemed to shiver for a moment, it was only a few seconds but a beam of light caught me in the eyes as the applause began and in the cacophony, the assault on my senses...the figure was gone.

The curtains closed and I turned to Sharpay, Zeke had handed her a bottle of Evian and was hugging her. Kelsi came over and handed me some water, giving my arm a friendly squeeze. Jason swept past, shoving a desk forward, he nearly ran me over.

"Coming through" he grunted.

Kelsi shot a glare at him but softened her eyes to look up at me. "Stage Fright?" she enquired.

I shook my head and turned around, nearly standing on the blond British girl that had been hanging around the Drama club. It wasn't Halloween yet, but as I hurried past a mirror I could see I was doing a ghost impression. Pallor flooded my face and Kelsi hurried to catch up with me. "What is it?" she asked. "Troy! What's wrong you look positively sick?"

"S-sorry" I gasped. "I just...I just felt like...I thought I saw Ryan..."

Kelsi gave me an understanding look and a quick hug. I accepted it gratefully and exhaled a deep shuddering breath. "I don't know...I don't know what it was about it, a trick of the light maybe but – but I – I felt it was him." Kelsi was looking at me very closely, scrutinizing me, I tried to move away but she put both hands on my shoulders and looked at me, something on her face that I couldn't quite measure or interpret. "What?"

"You **felt** it was him?"

"It – it looked like him..." I mumbled, feeling unnerved by the intensity of her gaze. "What?"

"Troy..." Kelsi began.

"Hey! Finale" Jason interrupted sharply from nearby. "Save the cuddling for later".

Kelsi blinked in surprise and looked at him, a frown suddenly furrowed her brow and she snapped at Jason. "Back off you colossal jerk! Just go throw something at a net!"

Jason seemed utterly astounded by the sudden shout from the petite musician but Kelsi turned her back on him and hauled me towards the line up of performers. "Last song, we're doing the clean up and we can talk then. We **need** to talk Troy."

I lined up with the others for "True Colours". I forget whose idea it was. I didn't like the song that much – but I got the idea behind it. It was about accepting someone for who they were, etc, etc. Good for them. I searched the crowd as I sang along with everyone. The shape wasn't there...I really was going insane.

Applause. Bows. Speeches. Applause. Everything blurred past as the donations were tallied by Darbus and Mrs. Nielsen. I forget how much we had raised, mainly because I was dying to move, instead I stood around on stage and applauded when everyone else did, the urge to check my watch was pretty overwhelming but I kept a lid on it.

The wave of relief that accompanied the completion of the ceremony was immense. I was gone like a bullet from a starting pistol, the first chance I got. I darted into the hall outside the theatre and searched the crowd. It was silly. With the big display near the door Ryan couldn't go unnoticed but... something was pushing at me, niggling at me.

Mom and Dad caught me as I moved towards the exit. "Honey" Mom called. "That was a really nice solo; we didn't even know you were taking part". I nodded and muttered the explanation – Allan and Sharpay and vomit. "Troy? What's wrong?"

I blinked and looked at her. "Nothing – I just thought I saw...someone..."

My parents exchanged a confounded look but neither asked for anything more. "Do you want a ride home?"

"No I'll – I'll help tidy and drive home in my truck". The Graveyard was just 20 minutes away, up a hill, maybe I could check on the grave...

"Oh. Well I'll leave some pasta out for you" Mom said, kissing me on the cheek. "I'm having an early shift tomorrow at the hospital so you'll have to make your own breakfast...something more than toast and orange juice" she slapped my Dad's arm. "That goes for you too, Jake" she added. He gave a grin and put his arm around her shoulders.

"Promise Luce" he gave her the scout's honour sign as they left me to the rapidly emptying hall. I looked around one last time. Nothing. Slowly, defeated, I walked back into the theatre to help strike the set.

Chad and Zeke tried to make small talk but I honestly just didn't know if I could without rambling about ghosts and stuff. That'd be a short walk into a padded cell, no doubt. Jason avoided me. Kelsi stayed close. Sharpay "managed" the process and Martha, Amber and Allan winced when the British Mini-Sharpay started talking about how Sharpay would do it.

"Hey Troy!" I jumped inadvertently as Jimmie "The Rocket" Zara materialized beside me to lift one of the flat images of the New York Skyline. "So – this was – cool."

"...Yeah" I shrugged.

Awkward silence.

"Did you know this Ryan guy well?" Jimmie asked as his friend joined Chad and Zeke on the heavier end of the wooden construct.

"Not as well as I could have" I muttered

"Oh uh...sucks he's dead"

"Yeah Jimmie. It sucks."

Jimmie fidgeted. Normally I was fine with this kid, he was on the varsity team but...well he was annoying, always nearby, always asking me questions and right now I wasn't in the mood so I really was playing the dick.

Jimmie nattered on, talking about upcoming games and how he wasn't planning on coming to Drama stuff that often, but that it was cool because – blah-blah-blah. We left the theatre, Sharpay pulling the light switch on the big control box, better than climbing to the lighting rig. I liked the lighting rig actually; the controls were like some sci-fi show.

Sharpay sighed and checked her phone as she took Zeke's arm. "Waiting for a call?"

"Yeah...though I need to call the janitor to lock the building"

The rattle of the doors made us all look up. Jason and Chad were rattling the doors and trying to open them, but failing. "Uh...maybe just call him to open the doors period?" Chad suggested, peering out into the slowly intensifying rainfall.

Taylor sighed loudly. "Unbelievable, the one time the old guy leaves his mini-TV before eleven o'clock" she rolled her eyes and everyone looked to Sharpay expectantly as the blonde held her phone to her ear.

"He's not answering" she reported. "I'll call Ms. Darbus"

Martha chuckled. "This is like a Friday the 13th Movie" immediately everyone tensed.

Something on the back of my neck prickled. I had a bad feeling.

"Let's go to the front doors near the Theatre, they might still be open" Zeke suggested. Everyone nodded and moved towards the foyer. I couldn't shake the bad feeling...then the lights went out and Amber screamed...wait...that might have been Jimmie.

Now the bad feeling was marching with friends.

The main doors were closed so we moved to the doors attached to the rest of the school building. Everyone was scared now. There was definitely something off about all of this. That's when I stopped and listened...it sounded like... "Do you hear that?" I asked Kelsi.

She glanced up at me. "What?"

"Listen..." it sounded like singing. "That...that's".

My feet were moving before I finished the words. I already knew the voice. This was impossible. I could hear it clear as a bell. Ryan's voice. I didn't stop to think. I didn't want to. Running off like this was stupid but...I had to see.

I pushed open the doors to the auditorium, there was a spot light.

"I dreamed a dream in time gone by

When hope was high and life worth living

I dreamed that love would never die

I dreamed that God would be forgiving

Then I was young and unafraid

And dreams were made and used and wasted

There was no ransom to be paid

No song unsung, no wine untasted"

It was him, he had his eyes closed and stood under the heat of the spotlight in a black suit and white shirt. I stared for a moment then gently closed the door behind me and approached. He kept singing, all alone in his world as I walked onto the stage towards him. I stood there.

Thoughts were stirring in my mind. Things I'd never addressed.

Things I'd never wanted to address. I was shaking as I reached out to touch him, terrified he would evaporate at my touch, a cruel illusion of my mind...why did I feel this way? I reached out and found rain soaked shoulder of Ryan Evans.

He turned and looked at me with big blue eyes...I think I began to understand...heaven help me...I think I knew what this was, that motivation behind it all...

"Troy?" he looked to confused and scared and vulnerable. "Troy...where...what's happened?"

I hugged him. "Its okay, its okay" I soothed him. "Oh my God..."

"I feel strange"

"Don't worry; you're okay, its okay..."

"I feel hungry"

I felt his lips against my neck, an incredible rush of something flew through my system, and my every nerve tingled with need and desire. "So...hungry..." he whimpered bucking in pain against me...it felt good to be near him. "Troy...help..." it was barely audible, less than a whisper, but I held him close and –

"TROY?" I looked up and Ryan was suddenly leaving my arms, covering his face with his hands and sobbing. I glanced to the door and when I looked back Ryan was gone. Sharpay burst into the theatre with Zeke at her side. "What is it? Why did you turn on the lights?"

"I – it was Ryan" I hurried down the steps towards her. "I touched him. Christ, he was here, Sharpay!"

She looked at me, her face devoid of expression and utterly unreadable. "He was singings some song about dreams gone buy and wine he hadn't tasted and he was there, he was wet from the rain and... you have to believe me. I'm not crazy!" that last part was very much for my own benefit.

"Fantine's song, he helped me practice it; it was his favourite warm up song" Sharpay nodded, still unreadable.

"Sharpay?" Zeke murmured.

Sharpay swayed a little. "I don't...I don't think you're lying..." she murmured.

That's when the scream rang out. "That sounded like Taylor!" Zeke exclaimed. "What the hell?"

That bad feeling welled inside me again. I moved at a speed towards where we had left the others, Sharpay was on my heels with a confused Zeke following. We raced through the foyer and down the corridor to find...I don't quite know what. Taylor was screaming and Allan was lying in a heap at the feet of a dark clothed figure. Chad was being cradled by Taylor and Jason stood in front of Amber, Martha and Kelsi with a fire extinguisher held like a club.

"I'll ask one more time" the darkened figure snapped. "Where. Is. He!"

"HEY!" Zeke bellowed, he ran at the guy to try a tackle and bring the attacker to the ground. The figure turned and moved, he was fast, too fast, closing the distance and bowling Zeke over with one swift movement. Zeke crashed into a locker and Sharpay shrieked in fear. The shadowy shape lunged at Jason next...he swung the fire extinguisher, missed and was grasped by the throat. "Oh you're a dull one" he sneered.

That's when Kelsi grabbed the fallen fire extinguisher and swung it in between the attacker's legs. He snarled in pain and outrage but dropped Jason. With one fluid motion he shoved Kelsi back into Amber and Martha and swept backwards like mist.

Right into Sharpay's stun gun.

He howled in pain but instead of falling he turned and shoved her down the hall back into the foyer.

"Oh you little bitch" he snarled. "I appreciate the enthusiasm but I don't feel like collecting twins so you are distinctively out of luck!"

I recognized the voice.

Luke.

Before I could stop myself I had charged into his back and we'd both gone rolling down the steps into the foyer. In the moonlight I could see it was him, the rush of water down the lass of the foyer, a crash of thunder and a spark of lightening. I punched him in the smug face.

He shrugged the hit off and grabbed my wrist. "Oh. You." He sneered as he looked me over. "I have a friend who likes your type" he lifted me off the ground with alarming ease. "Pity we just missed his birthday". In a flash his hands were at my throat, cold and merciless, they tried to crush my windpipe. "So I'll just have to kill you and your friends and make you all disappear."

Sharpay leapt on his back. At first it looked like a pathetic scrabbling effort...until she jammed her nail file into her eye socket.

She fought dirty. That was good...

"Oh that's irritating" Luke was getting hazy and hard to hear as black spots flickered across my vision. "I'll kill you next -"

"NO!" the three of us looked at the staircase, framed in the rain and lightening was Ryan, I could see the scuff marks on his face and shirt now, soil and dirt. His eyes flared a brilliant ice blue and a pair of sabre-like fangs descended from his canines. In a blur he had slammed into a stunned Luke and knocked him skidding across the floor.

"My love!" Luke exclaimed as he shrugged me and Sharpay off, prying the nail file from his eye with a wet slurping noise. Ryan threw himself at Luke, his body blurring with the inhuman speed of his movement. "I've been so worried" he caught Ryan's hands with disturbing ease, halting the movement and twisting him around so that Ryan's back was pressed to his chest, it looked like an embrace. That pissed me off. "I found your grave unoccupied and...Well...I feared the worst. Let me just get you someone to eat and we can be on our way."

"No! NO!" Ryan screamed. He smacked his head back into Luke's face, the crack of a jaw dislocating echoed sickeningly around the hall. "Let me go! What did you do to me!"

Luke stumbled away from Ryan. "Beloved, I gave you eternity; I gave you a part of me!" he responded as he popped his jaw back into place. His eyes turned a brilliant serpentine yellow and his own fangs descended. I was not seeing this. I could not be seeing this.

"Take it back! Take it back!" Ryan cried the sound of crying on his words. "I can feel what you did! Get it out! Get it out!" He threw himself across the foyer at Luke again, this time Luke caught him in an embrace. "Oh my love, it's natural to feel this way, the gift is beautiful, you'll see, once you have a first taste. Look at me." He grabbed Ryan's chin and looked deep into his eyes. "You feel me, we are one, and you can sense me in the blood..."

I helped Sharpay up, my limbs moving me around the little soap opera bubble of the bizarre tableau. She wasn't looking away from the scene, she was just staring...stunned...horrified...mesmerised.

"I am your progenitor. I am your life. My blood is in your blood." Luke leaned in and yet I still heard what he whispered somehow. "You will obey."

The storm was suddenly silent. Luke frowned and looked about, there was a soft murmuring coming from somewhere nearby. Then footsteps.

Around the corner came a woman, she looked just like Monica Bellucci but was wearing a parka and waterproof boots. She had a rain poncho over one arm and a shovel in the next. "Luca, you've been a very bold boy" she cooed in a heavily accented voice.

"...M-Mother" he whimpered.

"Yes darling" she smiled sweetly. "Yes indeed." She gave me a smile, a very pleasant one actually that made me feel marginally more safe, it seemed to have the same effect on Sharpay judging by the easing off of her grasp on my arm. "Luca...why am I only now discovering this addition to our family?"

For an immortal fiend Luke/Luca looked more like a scared child about to be deprived of his Playstation. "I - I"

"Oh never mind. Local influences have expressed a concern, I was informed, I thought I might find my grandchild...but it seems the poor dear had to dig his own way out" she took the stunned Ryan's hand in her own and gave a genuinely pitying look to the bloodied and dirt encrusted knuckles and fingers. "Luca shvlsmashmixyasaywhatnow"

"What?"

The head of the shovel shattered against Luca's face, shards of metal flying around as he was hurled across the room. I didn't see any movement in between only the smirk on the woman's face as she nodded slowly. "Precisely. Oh I do love MTV humour" she winked at me. "You children today have such interesting ideas". Suddenly she was standing over Luca who was moaning in pain, reaching down she caught the back of his shirt and hurled him up to the ceiling so hard that the metal support beam he met moaned in protest.

Ryan suddenly gave a cry of pain and Sharpay and I moved towards him. "Using the Bond? Suffer your own pain you infant" snapped the woman. Immediately Ryan steadied himself, suddenly seeming to be feeling better. "Oh my poor darling" she cooed as she stroked Ryan's blonde hair. "We must take you away so you can rest. I am truly sorry for all of this."

Ryan slowly stepped backwards. "N-No"

The woman sighed. "You must, my dear, let me take care of you – you cannot endure this alone" she urged. I was scared of this woman but not so scared I wouldn't intervene.

"He said he's not going with you!" I snapped.

She levelled a particularly sceptical gaze at me. "Young man, I'm going to have to do to you what I did to your friends in a moment -"

I felt the colour drain from my face. "W-what did you do to them!"

"They've gone into the main building; they disrupted some people trying to rob the computer lab but bravely fought them off. I passed a set of muggers earlier, they'll do as patsies. Not that you'll remember anything" she sighed as she advanced. Her eyes were digging into my mind...I tried to look away from the dark pools but...I couldn't. Then her brow creased in a frown.

"Oh you have fire in you" she smiled. I looked at Sharpay who had her stun gun shoved into the woman's side. "Sadly this parka is rubber lined. But kudos on keeping your head about you to retaliate..." she looked at Luke who was moaning on the floor. "Oh would you grow a pair you insipid cad! Stand up immediately and help me entrance these two"

"Don't hurt them!" Ryan called. "Please! I'll do whatever you say if you leave them alone!"

The woman looked at him, then at Sharpay and nodded. "Ah. Twins. Well if we want to look after you we will have to make you comfortable" she smiled at Ryan like a grandmother to a grandchild. "This is normally done in a completely different way, you know. But a deal then, I will bring your sister and this boy with us, under my protection, if you promise to hear me out and not intervene when I have to make them forget"

"Make us forget?" I murmured.

"Oh much like how I do this" she stroked the side of my face, looking deep into my eyes. "Sleep"

...And I did...

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><p><strong>AN:** _Well that's Troy's chapter. I wasn't totally satisfied with his voice here, I mean he's probably the character in HSM that expresses the most fear and concern but getting his internal voice down is tough. they're such a happy place, that was why part of this challenge appealed to me. An Eclipse in Disney's sunshine land. Though in all fairness Disney wins for the miserable and horrific deaths of its villains (Tarzan, Little Mermaid, Lion King and Snow White to name a few...come on, just try disagree with me). Still I hope you enjoyed this chapter somewhat. I was relatively content with it...my next chapter shoudl rise sometime next month depending on reviews. Feel free to message me and so forth via my profile but I must warn you that my responses will be sluggish due to RL commitments. In fact so far I haven't had a chance to properly respond to anything due to a huge amount of work._

**In the Next Chapter:** Ryan, Sharpay and Troy dispel some myths and wake in a big house. Things get complicated.

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><p><strong>To Be Continued...<strong>


	3. In Which Ryan and Troy Learn Many Things

_A Word of warning about this chapter, it alternates between Troy and Ryan, I'm not sure if its something I want to keep up for the rest of the story though, so feedback is appreciated. Sticking with one perspective a chapter is easier since there are places where I lost the distinct voices of the characters in this due to changing. _

_Anyway this is mostly filler about vampires in this setting and I would like some thoughts - I would like to hear what you think about the characters and what you would like to see happen. I can't say I will change what I have in mind but if you take the time to review the least I can do is consider your words. Speaking of which I shall now give a break down to my reviewers thusfar. _

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><p><strong>nek0-sama<strong>_: My thanks to you oh first reviewer. The Shout out is the least I can do and now that I once more have free time to approach reading fan fiction I can review as well hopefully. With regards to the Gabriella issue that is one bridge that will inevitably have to be crossed I just don't see the point of dragging it out, Troy feels betrayed so he's avoiding - it's a little impulsive but perfectly normal for a teenager or indeed so called grown up to do. I look forward to sending her away, really I do. I also thank you for the compliments on my writing...this chapter was not up to scratch but it suffered like 4 complete rewrites and a lot of the emotional stuff suffered for it because it stopped being from the heart. I'm hoping that the chariot of the supernatural will also continue to bring the East High Kids into a darker place, especially since there are more than just vampires out there, perhaps other supernatural templates will be laid upon the cast...maybe? maybe not?_

**Emeralden Rapley**_: I hope you find the following chapter enlightening as to what Ryan endured. Thank you for the reviews.  
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**xBroken-Glassx**_:Firstly thank you for the awesome story, seeing Tryan done with a mind to reprocussions and a bit of "its not all coming up Bolton" really was brilliant. Now, as for writing first person, yes it's daunting so I just crossed my fingers and hoped real hard. I'm glad I pulled it off but this particular chapter does not lend itself to it at all and the constant changing really through it off for me. I imagine Ryan having a more artistic view but Troy using shorter sentences but perhaps trying to undermine his jock stereotype with his words. Also yay Luke...let's see how you feel about him after this chapter, I hopefully will prevent him going 2D but this chapter won't do him any favours. Certainly hope you spotted the tribute to your story in him ;). As for Supernatural, I am a fan, I'll be inputting a few little bits and pieces as time goes on. As for the action, there will be more, as Ryan learns vampire society is not what it seems to be in the books...  
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**Cwalk**_: Thanks. I hope you enjoy this chapter.  
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**Sarah Clapham**_: Their fate remains in the air. I hope you keep reading  
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><p><em><strong>Warnings:<strong> Well nothing new but a bit of groping, talk of death and murder and some passive-aggressive digs at vampire literature. I don't hate Anne Rice, she brought the vampire to the centre stage again but I do have an issue with certain facets of her portrayals. I'm writing my own lore based off the olllld books here...lets hope for the best shall we?  
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><p><strong>Blood Will Out<strong>

**Troy**

I was awake, bolting upright to find myself on a large four poster bed in a lavishly decorated room that hadn't been updated since the Victorian era. I looked around to find Ryan at the foot of the bed. "Okay...okay..." I could feel my heart beating faster and faster... he was here...good...but that meant everything had actually happened...bad.

"You okay?" I asked.

Ryan didn't say anything he just stared at me, like a deer caught in headlights, he climbed onto the foot of the bed and slowly moved towards me, crawling up along my body towards me, straddling my hips and pushing me down onto the bed with surprising strength. "Ryan?"

He blinked as he looked down at me. "You...you smell...what is that smell?"

"It's the Axe effect?" I tried to joke. There was a hunger in his eyes and my mind flicked back to the fangs in his mouth and the glowing blue of his eyes. He touched my face and my body surged with desire, the pressure of his body on my hips became too delicious for words, the feel of his thumb on my cheekbone.

"No I just...I..." his fangs snapped downwards and he leaned down.

I felt like I was floating in a sea of want. To touch him...let him touch me...I could hear myself shouting about fangs or something...that's nice...

Ryan was whimpering. "I don't want to...I don't want to" he was repeating over and over. "I just...I can't..." I felt his lips tough my throat, parting so I could feel the elongated canines against my skin and the soft tickle of warm breath.

The door exploded off its hinges. I could hear a man say "I have the key right here, you know" as the woman from before suddenly pulled Ryan off my by the scruff of his neck and held him in the air. He gasped like a drowning man finding air and blinked, fangs retracting as his eyes returned to their natural colour. Sharpay stood in the doorway with a tall, portly man who had charcoal grey hair and a nose that had been broken at some point and Luke who looked positively furious (also part of his face was still rather flat so...ha!)

"What's happening?" I groaned.

"Nothing much, dear" the woman said. She was wearing a silk dressing gown and had her hair wrapped in a towel. "There was a slight dormitory malfunction and you ended up sharing Ryan's room". Her eyes darted to Luke who gave nothing away on his sallow features. "Poor darling, you must be famished...quickly now, let's get you something to drink and sort this all out".

Sharpay was wearing a dressing gown and her hair was wet, she walked over to me and sat on the bed as Luke hurried after the woman and Ryan. The stout man shook his head and adjusted the collar of his suit. "I'm terribly sorry. I don't know how that happened. My name is Henry. Henry Fitzwarren, I'm the Steward here at the Mansion. Can I get you anything to eat or drink? I'm afraid most of the food is junk food, you know chocolate and the like, oh if you'd like a shower there is an en suite" he gestured at a door to my right. "I can fetch you some sandwiches if you like". He said "sandwiches" as if it was a new word he was taking for a test drive.

"No I'm fine, really"

"Yes. Of Course. Well, when you two are ready I've been instructed to bring you to one of the Parlours while we...err...deal with the situation."

Sharpay stood up immediately. "If this is to do with my brother you can bet I'll be going with him and not sitting around doing nothing!" Henry seemed uneasy as she said this. "I know my rights"

"With all due respect Ms. Evans, the constitution doesn't cover beings that predate it" Henry said softly. "Now, unless Mr. Bolton would like a shower, perhaps I can get you something to drink? Maybe some food?"

My stomach rumbled and Sharpay and I, standing closely together, followed the man down the halls of the mansion house.

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><p><strong>Ryan<strong>

Everything is a blur.

I woke in a box lined with cloth, panic set in, how much air did I have? What was going on? It was a Victorian Horror story...hell it was Kill Bill. I reached out on either side, pushing at the walls of the wooden confines...they didn't move, nor did the box. I was shaking in fear as I reached upwards and pushed at the door. Surely I was in a funeral parlour? That had to be it...I banged my fists on the padding above me and shouted as loud as I could.

I tore at the cloth covering and punched at the wood above me over and over. Calling out for help.

I don't know how long it took...I don't care to some extent...it was an eternity no matter what stopwatch you present me with. I cried. My tears felt cold running down my cheeks and for a time I just lay there waiting for the air to get heavy and impossible to breathe.

It didn't come. The air didn't get heavier; I didn't notice at least...so I switched back to terror...I battered my fists in the limited room against the wood above me, shouting again and again for help. The wood splintered, sharp little slivers of wood stuck into my hand but I pulled at them, slicing into the flesh of my fingers and trying to shove my fist out past the lacquered top of the box. I felt my knuckles being torn, cold earth falling onto my hands, sliding in after me.

A sickly yellow haze of fear washed over me and I have no idea how I pushed up through the dark muck and stone into the cold air of the night. I cried, every inch of the way, the earth threatening to overwhelm me and bury me alive a second time. The touch of air on my finger tips gave me a final surge of strength to thrust up into the night.

My head emerged from the soil, earth and clay parting for my body as I pulled myself out. A storm was swirling overhead, rain soon fell down upon me, soaking me, yet the cold did not reach to my bones. I pawed my way out of the soil and lay there as the rain soaked me to the bone.

I didn't feel fatigued at my core, only all over my surface.

I rolled onto my back and stared up at the rain...every drop felt like a caress...I opened my eyes to watch each drop fall, the world slowing to a crawl so I could appraise it. The air tasted fresh like a cold drink on a hot dat. I dragged myself to my feet and turned around. The feeling of elation the night was giving me faded into horror as my eyes fell upon the tombstone.

_Ryan Alexander Evans. _

_Beloved Son. _

_He dances with the Angels now._

I ran.

No, I did more than run, I just short of soared. It was like my every cell was full of adrenaline and pumping it at the speed of light. The world blurred around me but I could see it perfectly clearly, I felt I was running in slow motion yet I could feel myself running at great speed. My awareness warned me of the gate, my body moved on instinct and I vaulted it in a heartbeat. I couldn't stop moving...I needed to keep moving...I recognized a street and followed my instincts to the school. I stopped suddenly in the courtyard as the rain churned downwards.

Every drop shone like a diamond. I could smell the sauce on wrappers in the bin, the wet fur of a bedraggled dog, the petrol from the cars, the cigarette smoke rising from a bin near the door. And then I heard a familiar voice.

I'd heard it a year ago and just been pulled towards it...the same song even...Troy Bolton.

I moved again, a blurring speed past the empty classrooms and towards the auditorium. I wanted to be there in a heartbeat and I swear my body was desperate to oblige. I opened the doors and stood there watching as Ryan and Sharpay sang. It was so unlike Sharpay, it was simple and heartfelt and full of sorrow. She wasn't making eyes at Troy or anything. They were standing there, she was in a simple little black dress with her hair flowing down her shoulders and perfect make up...but no backing singers, no handsome dancers, no SE logos overhead...Troy just sang, like he had for...for Gabriella.

Oh God.

Sharpay wasn't hitting on him because she had him.

Oh God.

You know I remember our first day in the East Albuquerque Middle School. That was when I'd first found myself in a class with Troy Bolton. I'd always known my preferences and the first person I had told had been Sharpay. "I like boys" I had said and she had frowned and replied with "Okay but don't steal mine" before ordering us some iced tea as we lounged by the pool in a Barcelona hotel.

Troy Bolton and Chad Danforth were in this class...Chad with hair bigger than his head and waiting to grow into a fine specimen of manhood...and Troy, all blue eyes and perfect smiles. I knew the second I saw Troy I was going to like him. Then Sharpay leaned over and said "That's your future Brother in Law, Ryan". And my heart sank because Sharpay always got what she wanted. Heaven help anyone that stopped her. By Junior High we'd barely said two words to each other as the cliques formed but from afar I admired him...and realised that I wanted him to be my knight in shining armour...that swept me away...and then ravished me in a meadow somewhere.

Puberty had been fun.

I kept telling myself we had nothing in common...but then he started singing and the passion for drama had ignited in him and I could feel it. He was like me. Suddenly the feelings, the desires, they all came crashing back and I was lost in them.

As he sang his heart out I felt he would understand the "lure of the stage" as Darbus called it. Like he wouldn't judge the life force the theatre provided.

And that night he was so amazing. His voice full of so much emotion...so Sharpay had gotten him... yes, I had told myself, another fine choice of straight men to crush on, Evans. Heartbreak 4 – Evans 0, to use a sports analogy. I felt his blue eyes on me and looked down at my mud covered feet...I wanted to run again, lose myself in the speed and not have to look at my sister and Troy.

It was the end of the song and the silence of Troy's voice that let me move, I never could resist hearing him sing. As I moved away my body was wracked with pain unlike any I had ever felt...imagine hunger pangs and then set your blood on fire...that was the neighbourhood of what it felt like.

Everything became blurry around the edges as I wandered the dark school, the main doors were locked and I didn't want to look at anyone...talk to anyone...I was so lost and confused about what was happening, what had become of me. There was only once place I could go that would make sense, that had always made sense, so I found myself pulling the centre stage spot switch and singing, the first musical my parents had brought Sharpay and I to in New York.

I closed my eyes, feeling that weight that a spotlight's beam had, it lay on my skin and I sang.

I was somewhere else.

I was someone else.

I was something else.

Then I felt the touch and turned to find Troy standing there, blue eyes shining with shock, joy, fear, confusion and a menagerie of other emotions vying for dominance. He seemed to draw in a breath as if realising something.

I didn't know what was happening or what had happened all I knew was that I wasn't alone... "Troy?" I whispered. "Troy...where...what's happened". I didn't know what was going on, that confusing haze was clouding my every sense but I knew he was there, solid and real and smelling so good.

His arms closed around me and I shut my eyes, I had wanted him to hold me for so long and now he was and I felt better, I didn't feel so scared. "It's okay" he whispered.

I lay my head into his shoulder, I wanted to cry, scream and run but he was holding me and that was perfect. "I feel strange" I whimpered as a delicious scent caught my nose, I could feel Troy's heartbeat and hear his blood rushing, I felt hunger crawl around my mind and entrap my senses.

"Don't worry; you're okay, its okay" he seemed to be searching for something to say

"I feel hungry" I said into his neck, tasting his bronzed skin on my lips...he shivered and held me closer. "So...hungry..." I murmured as another wave of pain washed over me. Oh God. It hurt so much. For a brief instant I wanted to die. "Troy...help..." I begged. I knew what I wanted...what I wanted to do to Troy...I wanted to drink his very essence...what the hell...if I didn't the pain would take me away.

The sound of the door, the rapping of footsteps on tile. As the doors opened I pulled away from Troy feeling everything turn into a blur and I found myself upstairs in the drama annex. I leaned against a cold hard wall and let myself try to calm down.

I could NEVER hurt Troy. I couldn't hurt anyone!

Especially not Troy.

Just because he and Shar were together didn't mean...I could still like him the way I did, the way that I wished he would like me. I moved towards the nearest classroom and pushed it open, it hadn't been locked yet and I found the janitor's trolley inside. His name was Harold, Sharpay called him Old Cleaning Person but he was nice, he'd let us stay late to rehearse with no bother and I'd always liked him as a person.

So seeing him with his neck turned 180 degrees around was a shock.

It should have incapacitated me with fear and horror but there was some part of me that kept me grounded. I could smell something, a familiar scent...I didn't know how but it was so familiar...I closed Harold's eyes and wished him a happier reincarnation.

Then the screaming and shouting began. I froze for a moment, I heard Zeke's voice...then Sharpay shrieked...Troy...I ran. As I arrived on the staircase I saw Luke, he had Troy by the throat and my sister had just jammed her nail-file into his eye socket. "I'll kill you next" he sneered at her, shrugging off what should have been agony in order to keep strangling Troy.

"NO!" someone shouted. It was me, I felt a popping sensation in my upper line of teeth and before I knew it I had thrown myself at Luke and hurled him across the room. Shar and Troy were free...I leapt at him...I could feel him inside my body...that was the scariest part as I tried to knock him down again.

Things became stranger and stranger, my mind got blurrier and blurrier and as I lay my head on the lap of the woman who insisted I call her "Grandmother" I felt like I needed a long sleep. The van rumbled away to wherever she was taking us...I couldn't concentrate on details anymore. I was stuck acting in the now because my mind was so trapped by the constant pain of hunger.

She told me to sleep and my body obeyed.

When I awoke I was lying on a bed beside Troy. He looked so peaceful...I wanted to kiss him...so I ended up across the room in case I acted on that, on the bed one instant, in the corner the next. The smell of Troy was overbearing on my senses...I approached slowly, standing at the foot of the bed until the moment he bolted upright, his eyes were wide, his broad chest was rising and falling in deep anxious gasps as he murmured something...I was distracted by the curve of his throat, the fullness of his lips...he was a work of art, damn it!

I was always afraid something like that would happen that I'd go beyond a fantasy crush with what I felt for Troy. I really liked him, I genuinely wanted to be with him and that meant I'd get my heart broken. I was so caught up in that particular train wreck of thought I barely noticed myself crawling up his body. If "Grandmother" hadn't interrupted I don't know what would have happened.

I was sitting in her parlour as she dressed behind an oriental screen. "I'm afraid you were very nearly a pawn, my dear" she called out to me. "It seems Luca has a disdain for your blonde friend". She stepped out from behind the screen in a crisp white blouse and black pencil skirt. "Without tutoring a young vampire will always kill when they first feed."

Well she had said it.

The fangs.

The speed.

The hunger.

I wanted to deny it but I could feel it was true in every fibre of my body. "Don't worry, it's not the end of your world. It's merely a re-adjustment of it. Sure you have to be dead but that's not the worst thing in the world"

"...Be Dead?" I barely realised I'd said anything; the shock was seeping in through my veins and skin towards my bones. The realisation of what I had become was so...impossible...

"Yes dear, you'll never age again so you can't stay with those you care about, aside from raising horribly inconvenient questions...it...well it would be horribly cruel to you to watch them wither and age and die, slowly, one by one..." she was combing her hair slowly now. "Vampires don't need to eat or drink, other than blood, we can if we desire, my darling but without the need to we...well...we just don't think about it" she sighed and tied her hair up. "You need to feed on blood, but you do not need to kill for it" she offered me her well manicured hand. "Come along my dear, let Grandmother Claudia show you how to feed".

Claudia. That was her name. Feeling a bit better I took her hand and allowed her to lead me through the mansion house. All the windows had heavy drapes across them, pulled back to let the night in... The threat of dawn was on the horizon...guess I'd never see another sunrise again.

We were at the foot of what I assumed to be the main staircase when the hairs on my neck stood on end and I felt my body tense as I spun around to search for the eyes that were watching me. "Who's there!" I shouted.

I felt Claudia's hand on my shoulder. "Calm down, darling, be at ease" she cooed, her voice soothing the turbulence running through my system. "The First Death, it is a time of metamorphosis, it turns activates parts of the brain that have long lain dormant, your brain activity is technically increased as is your awareness of everything around you...for instance being observed as you are by the other vampires."

I twitched. "Why can't I see them?"

"...That's something you will learn all in good time, my darling" she smiled, stroking my hair as she lead me towards a small side room. "Oh good lord, this is ridiculous!"

The room was heavy with smoke and incense, a hazy light shone from gaslights on the wall. There were men and women in shorts and vests lounging around with blissful relaxation on their faces. One or two had thick red bands around their neck. Claudia grabbed one by the shoulder and turned him around. Tall, dark hair, broad frame, he looked to be in his mid 20s...Claudia pressed him down into a seat and "nudged" me into his lap. The strength of her little shove propelled me into his warm body. I felt a shooting hunger pains through my body – so sharp and ragged I bucked against the guy and gave a short cry.

I felt the popping in my teeth again...oh god I had fangs...oh god I was a vampire.

"Keep your hand on a pulse point, the heart works as well, listen to it, when it becomes sluggish stop, when the rhythm begins to falter stop...remember to lick the wound when you're done our blood is a coagulant that helps to heal the wound very quickly" she was counting her points off on her fingers, I tried to focus on them rather than the guy I was sitting on...wait was he...he was turned on!

"Now, this is awful, no name tags, a uniform, like they're sheep" Claudia scoffed. "What's your name dear" she asked the poor guy.

"Allan" he replied.

"Allan this is Ryan, Ryan this is Allan. Allan will be supplying some blood to you" she explained. I felt like a kid learning how to use a knife and fork – it was weirdly embarrassing...I can't put into words how surreal it felt to lean in and just bite down.

The explosions on my tongue swept me away and the taste flood my senses, I could feel his heartbeat on my lips, against my fingertips...it hummed through my veins, my bones buzzed with delight. It was like drinking music from the fountain of life.

The thrumming under my fingertips began to waver and I felt Allan shiver. The rhythm Claudia had mentioned...that was it. I swiped my tongue over the entry wound and Allan let out a sigh, a happy, satisfied expression on his face. I slipped away from him and looked at Claudia. She smiled and dabbed the corner of my mouth with a monogrammed handkerchief from her sleeve. "Blood is life, it is an amazing substance full of power, our biology are utterly dependant on it, needing the liquids and salts from it to shed tears, the red pigment to flush our skin, the iron to fortify the body... it is powerful stuff" she smiled, wrapping an arm around my shoulders.

"It scares me" I murmured.

"You're only human...don't forget it" she replied quietly as we left the room, Allan was dozing on the sofa as we left and I cast a slightly guilty glance back over my shoulder at him. If felt so...wrong. I was some parasite now and yet Allan and whimpered and moaned under my touch when he should have been in pain.

"Our saliva is a potent anaesthetic, it burns out of the system quite quickly but helps to re-knit the flesh and triggers an endorphin rush of sorts, working in conjunction with our natural pheromone secretions and psychological profiles it makes us adept at hunting using sex appeal" she explained. "When you touch someone you can trigger pleasurable sensations and your pheromones can instil attraction too. Over time you will be able to do it at range and to varying intensities. It's a hunting mechanism and quite an efficient one to boot".

She walked me down a narrow corridor, the looming darkness probably concealed a great many eyes and teeth. "Vampires congregate in Districts across the world, we protect ourselves from discovery and thereby shield other paranormals from being uncovered -"

"Other Paranormals?"

"Were-Beings, Incubi, Succubi, Fae-folk, Changelings, Magicians, half-bloods, ghosts, mediums, necromancers, all of those kinds of things" she waved it off casually. I thought I might be more shocked to hear about the other things out there but to be quite honest once I got past the idea that I was one...it got easier. Not by much...dread still filled my heart but...well; at least I understood I could control some of it.

"There are four Ancient Vampires, the progenitors from which all other vampires originate" she continued. "Lots of legends posit how they came to be or why they are as they are...but none but the Progenitors know the truth and they do not tell. Becoming a vampire makes you stronger, faster, and more durable, you will regenerate quickly and have enhanced brain activity to cope with the augmented sensory information. Over time you will learn other abilities, shape changing, and the ability to influence minds and to conceal yourself from sight" she chuckled. "It will be an interesting journey"

"...But I can never go home..."

She looked at me with genuine sorrow in her eyes and cupped my face in her left hand. "I'm very sorry, the change is not meant to be done in infatuation, it is not to be trifled with, Luca behaved like one of those infatuated buffoons you find in modern fiction. He gave you our blood without consulting myself or the local vampires; he takes his station for granted"

"His station?"

"Certain criteria make a vampire nobility, heritage or positions or influence – we're still human, although many forget it" she guided me into a large room and suddenly there were a dozen eyes upon me that I could see. "Technically he is entitled to sweep you away as his offspring" she leaned in and whispered in my ear. "But let's see if I can't do something"

* * *

><p><strong>Troy<strong>

The kitchen was clean, I don't mean well scrubbed and neat, I mean CLEAN as in never been used, as in...Like when you look at a show room kitchen. There were crumbs here and there but I suppose blood sucking fiends didn't need the kitchen much. As I thought of Luke I felt a bubble of rage...much easier to take dinner to bed...no crumbs in the sheets. That son of a bitch.

Henry didn't seem like Luke, he was dressed in that old way...but...he was...warmer. That woman that told Ry to call her "Grandmother" was...well...scary, but Henry reminded you of that great uncle with the funny sweaters that always tried to say the right thing just a little too hard. Once we'd entered the kitchen he'd loosened up, like a screw in his shoulders had gone, I don't think he quite knew how to treat us but because he wanted to treat us well he was afraid of saying something bad and upsetting us.

So he tried to start banter but with his repeated changes to what he was saying that meant we ended up not having a chance to get in on the conversation. He laid out a pair of roast beef sandwiches for us as he talked about how he had met Jane Austen the night before he had been turned into a vampire.

Sharpay seemed to know who she was.

She wrote Little Women, right?

English wasn't my best subject, to be honest my favourite subject had to be History, the older the better, I loved reading the text books and extra reading and the lowest I'd ever gotten in a test had been a B+. I mean I was good at Business and Cultural Studies, but I actually enjoyed history.

Best of all it was the one place Gabriella had faltered.

We'd I suggested she share the class with me after the Lava Springs thing...and she told me that she could never keep all the dates straight in her head. Name the like 22nd decimal number of pie or whatever and she was all over it, but what year did America join World War II? Yeah she drew a blank.

I'll admit it made me feel good.

Having a girlfriend **that** smart is pretty...tough.

Sharpay leaned over to me as Henry entered the pantry on the other side of the kitchen. "If he bails we might be able to find Ryan" she whispered under her breath.

"Ever seen the movie Underworld? This whole place could be crawling with vampires!"

"I agree" Henry called. "A very bad idea! The manor can be quite dangerous, especially given the tension some of my kind feels toward wandering humans" he emerged with a tub of ice cream. "Those freezers are truly marvellous" he sighed. "Now, chocolate ripple?"

"Diet" Sharpay said flatly.

"Ah contemporary so called beauty, let me tell you my dear, I fear modern womanhood, they ask for starvation from their women and then complain when the result of this is that their bodies begin to age faster, no in my day women were women with curves and bust and soft shapes that reminded one of the classical beauties of the timeless Greek art. Nowadays of course a woman must deliberately wither away to satisfy some ideals that surely must be rooted in silly cubist notions!"

Sharpay stared at him for a moment as he preached to no one in particular...

"Okay fine" she muttered and nudged a bowl in front of her forward with the back of her hand, a slight hint of a sneer on her face. There was some insecurity there of course; I think that's how fashion magazines sold a lot of their stuff, the insecurities of teenage girls. Guys never really got them... if anything they added to them.

Ugh I didn't need to over think this.

But...girls...guys...yeah they were so very different in so many ways and alike in others and in the end we were all just people.

Okay. Seriously not a good turn to take.

Henry suddenly jumped in surprise and I became very aware of a sickly looking young man leaning in between Sharpay and I. Sharpay shrieked in surprise and brandished a spoon like a sabre as she pounced off her stool. I stumbled backwards, graceful as a falling building, but getting away from the guy. He looked at Sharpay and then at me.

"14" he said. "You're not Minnie" he added, looking at Sharpay.

"Ah, young master Casper – err – I was not ware you had left your room. Lord Shaw has not returned yet, perhaps I should escort you back to your quarters?" Henry advanced slowly on the young man.

As I looked at him I realised how young and frail he looked, not like the other vampires who seemed healthy and confident, each and every one making themselves attractive by simply being comfortable in their own bodies. He seemed weak and introverted, but Henry approached like he might explode into a ball of flame.

The youthful vampire, yeah he was a vampire, was lanky and hunched over wearing loose white pants and a matching shirt. His bare feet padded on the tiles of the kitchen as he advanced towards me, his left eye was green, his right eye was brown and he had ruddy Claudia hair, the dye was washing out of the locks.

I backed up against a counter. "Do you want your answer?"

"To what?" I murmured.

"To the question" he replied slowly.

Henry stepped up beside us in a blur of speed. "Master Casper I must insist" Casper spun around and grabbed Henry's head in his hands, his eyes locked with Henry's making the taller man's eyelids flutter and twitch before they went wide, as if glaring at Casper.

Casper released him and stepped away. "You have to see this" he murmured as he slid towards the door. "Come on, let's bring Artemis to Apollo" he beckoned at Sharpay. "Come, come, I know where your brother is."

"Should we?" she cast a glance to me.

"I..." I felt this was a Good Idea...note the capital G and I. "I think so...yeah...I think so..." I said slowly. "Yeah let's go". Casper was already moving as I said this and Sharpay and I had to hurry after him. He sort of...danced down the hall. It was hypnotic, not like how other people danced, like Ryan; they danced like it was to a heart beat... this guy danced like it was to a car crash, erratic and spontaneous. It wasn't even a dance when you looked at it, it was like he was wandering in a big city, looking around at magnificent sights no one else could see.

He pushed open a set of tall but narrow doors and swept inside.

Sharpay grabbed a candle stick.

I grabbed a glass bottle from a side table and we slowly entered after him.

The room was a library, just a small one, lined with books, but he stared up at the ceiling, a fire in the fireplace crackling and throwing dark amber light across his features. "The Mothers and the Fathers of the four vampire bloodlines" he murmured. He pointed upwards at the four panels in the domed ceiling. "The Father of the Grave, the Father of the Hunt, the Mother of the Darkness and the Mother of the Blood, they made their houses and sit on their thrones and watch a world they weren't born into". I looked up as he pointed at the image of a man with pale as snow skin and dark red eyes, who carried a pale helmet under his arm and wore ivory white robes as he walked through a valley of ghastly figures that reached out to him and gasped and stuttered in their efforts to reach him...they were begging. "Alter Dressler, Father of the Grave, The Ivory Lord, the first to die and live again".

Sharpay followed Casper's gaze as he stood beside me. He wrapped a gaunt arm around my shoulders. "The Ivory King who walked through death and was stronger for it, he bathed in Styx but will you drink from Lethe?" he murmured.

Sharpay made circular motions beside her head as Casper had his attention on me.

The girl knew crazy.

* * *

><p><strong>Ryan<strong>

The room was filled with people now, some wore suits, some wore evening attire and some wore tracksuits and t-shirts. They weren't all stunningly beautiful by conventional standards but each one looked good in what they were wearing and stood firm and confident. Clear skin and eyes helped sure, but I was beginning to understand, vampires had confidence on their side...

A woman strode across the room to a large chair set on a dais. She wore a black evening gown with a plunging neckline and had her hair tied up in an extremely elaborate style. There was something about her that sent shivers up my spine, I think it was the look in her eyes, the cold and calculating "people are things" look she had.

((_That's the local Magistrate_)) Claudia whispered to me, an odd sound in her voice. ((_Isadora Barlow, she's 184 years old and has been in charge of Albuquerque for fifty six years. Magistrates deal with disputes as arbiters and enforce the laws of our kind. Never to create without the blessing of your family, never to abandon those you create, to protect our secrecy, to protect our kind and to respect the rulings of the Four Progenitors. We do not condone murder, though sometimes it is necessary and we also forbid the Change of those who are not old enough_)).

I looked at her and realised that her lips weren't moving.

She smiled at me. ((_Telepathy, easily done between those who share common blood_)).

"Ladies and Gentlemen, as Magistrate of this District I call this Congregation to begin" the woman had a very refined sounding accent...and there was that brittle chill in her words of someone who just didn't care about you.

((In my day we would do this considerably more casually, rather like one of your modern book clubs. Nowadays there are all kinds of silly laws that vary district to district and suddenly Magistrates are a coveted position with the power of life and death. I really don't know what to make of it))

"Our first matter is relating to Ryan Evans"

I gulped as those cold grey eyes settled on me. "Luke Morse, you claim him as your own?"

"Yes" Luke said. I saw him now, moving from amidst a group of beautiful people in stylish black. "His blood is mine, my blood is his, I claimed him, I turned him, I killed his mortal identity and now I wish to take him with me. It was I who brought him into this society of darkest night, wrapped him in the black velvet of midnight-"

Claudia snorted and immediately everyone stopped and looked at her, faces unreadable.

"Sorry, I was just remembering a funny joke" she said.

I glanced at her; there was a glimmer of irritation in her face as she listened to Luke lay claim to me.

I could relate.

* * *

><p><strong>Troy<strong>

Casper's voice was...weak. He seemed ill and part of me wanted to ask why that was. Another part of me was worried about the answer or seeming too nosy. "When they crawled from the soil, branded by blood for the crime of their victim they suffered the shame, haunted and hounded it was only in the shadows and the night that they felt truly safe and vital" he pointed to the image of a woman in a long black dress, she seemed to be surrounded by dark crows and wolves, their eyes gleaming as she stood in a doorway, the sunlight stopping at the shadows of the crypt-setting she was set in. Her pitch black eyes and raven dark hair vanished into the shadows, made her seem hollow but those delicate Asiatic aspects of her features seemed to make her not only come forward from the shadow but seem composed and strangely warm.

"Mother Darkness, Layla Moreno our Obsidian Queen, made the shadows our home, found our place in the dark, found a way to master the power we felt to control ourselves, she taught us not to be beasts." He looked at us and gave a faint smile...the canines snapped down in his mouth and Sharpay and I backed off.

* * *

><p><strong>Ryan<strong>

"I don't want to go with him!" I exclaimed.

"Silence you have not been recognized" Isadora barked at me.

Luke seemed both angry and smug as he looked between me and Isadora, I wasn't sure to whom he directed either emotion...but I had the feeling he was angry that she had addressed me like that. "He doesn't understand it yet" Luke continued. "I embraced him into the soft caress of death so that he might exceed mortality, he has potential, a lot of it, and he is a beautiful addition to the chorus of the night"

I saw Claudia cover her mouth and stifle a snickering laugh.

A few other vampires seemed to be doing little things like rolling their eyes and smirking at Luca's speech. It was strange to feel, I wasn't just catching glimpses of things across the room I was hearing the flutter of eyelashes, the intake of a sarcastic breath... I had to focus to cut them off.

"As is the tradition of our people, written in blood and upon the bones of ancient mankind, we must abide by the ties of blood and kin" Isadora said, standing and addressing the group like some kind of saint. "Luca owns Ryan."

* * *

><p><strong>Troy<strong>

"Yet power waned and hunger made the beast go stronger, it was Father of the Hunt, who we know as Valdir Jaeger, The Iron Lord, the Grey King, who tamed the monster, honed the body and fought our enemies when our progenitors were at the weakest they would ever be".

The figure overhead was a bald man with bronze dark skin and brilliant green eyes clad in grey cloth and bronze armour. He held a sword over his head as fire and darkness recoiled from him. It was heroic I think...like the stuff you see on those books for dice rolling games Gabby's friends in science club would sometimes play.

Give me a net and basketball any day. I felt a shiver up my spine...I glanced over my shoulder at the doors and down the hallway but couldn't see anything to explain it. Just a strange feeling.

* * *

><p><strong>Ryan<strong>

Luca cleared his throat. "Those laws written in blood on the bones of mankind, from centuries of our curse and the plight it has brought us as we struggle in endless battle against baser instinct, they are what make us a higher society. Dawn comes, an unwelcome foe, but by next velvet kiss of night I shall have taken my love in hand and granted him the knowledge and insight of our kind, for though we are cursed our hearts shall entwine us together until the day of eternal dawn".

His little clique applauded like some dumb...well...clique.

I'm at a loss for words can you blame me?

I felt dread sweep over me...and followed closely behind it was his grinning sense of victory. I could feel him in my veins...the spell was seriously broken. How could I care about someone like him? He'd taken my life away and now he "owned" me.

* * *

><p><strong>Troy<strong>

"The hunt and fight gave way and so we found that blood sated our hunger. The power of blood and the passions of our nature were revealed to us" Casper seemed to teeter on his feet like Chad when he'd had a bit too much to drink. "Mother of the Blood. The Red Queen, Claudia Cervenka, she understood it, she showed them how to speak to it and to make more from it..." he shivered and fell to his knees. "Blood and tears are coming near, the future may be a thing to fear, but a mother's tears will bring him back and a lover's soul will fade to black".

I looked up to see the figure in red, she held an apple, her bare back in the red gown exposed, revealing a symbol tattooed on her spine that made me think of snakes and butterflies. The lush greenery around her was blackened by the dark of night and framed her pale flesh. "That's her" I said as I looked up at Ryan's so-called Grandmother's face.

* * *

><p><strong>Ryan<strong>

Luke was approaching, I could feel something happening as the air crackled around us and memories of how he smiled and his kisses and touches washed over me. He wrapped an arm around the small of my back, pulling me in close. "Kiss me" he whispered.

I felt my body move against my will. "Kiss me and you'll remember how you felt about me"

I was leaning in, part of me wanted to kiss him and be lost in the feelings of his touch.

I felt my body react to him, he was so beautiful but I didn't want to kiss him. It was like being a marionette on strings...I leaned in our lips getting closer and closer...My lips found the cold hardness of a ruby ring rather than the warmth of a mouth.

"Now, now, Luke, I don't think we have actually covered everything in this situation" Claudia said. "By the laws of our kind and so on and so forth and on the laws written _**on**_ _**paper and in ink**_ I would like to lay claim to Ryan Evans as a member of my family, to raise and tend to myself in the way I see fit as Matriarch of my family...oh yes...and as one of the progenitors of our entire race I think I have sufficient reason to say I'll tend to his learning"

Progenitor? What? Why had everyone taken a step back? Why were they forming a careful circle around our scene?

"Mother!" Luke exclaimed.

"Be. Silent. Luca" she snarled, her eyes flashed red and he retreated a few steps away.

"But we love each other!"

"Are you sure? Then why did you have to force him to kiss you?" the way she spoke was terrifying, like she was seeing into the core of his soul and cutting away at the most painful parts with her words. "Do not try my patience Luca. I despise those who frivolously ruin lives and dish out the Change on a whim to those who are not prepared for it. You have displeased me greatly."

He shrank back and Claudia turned to me. "Now my dear, do not fear, we can make all better"

"Can you give me my life back?"

She was silent for a moment. "No. I'm sorry. Luca has already placed a body in the morgue that resembled you and done his part to kill you...he had you switched back into the coffin so you would be buried and the transformation would occur...and he has seen to it that you cannot return to your old life"

I felt my body trembling. "I don't want this..."

Claudia patted my cheek. "You can say goodbye to your sister and that strapping young man" she promised. I felt tears welling in my eyes and she dabbed the clear water away with her handkerchief. "It is the only comfort I can offer you".

"I want my life back. I just want to be with my friends, to be myself again... I don't want to lose who I was..."

"Never do, darling, carry it with you, remember who you were, remember these feelings and never be indiscriminate" she hugged me and it was strange because it made me feel a bit better.

* * *

><p><strong>Troy<strong>

Casper fell to the ground. I kneeled beside him as Sharpay approached carefully, candle stick raised to strike and eyes on the delicate looking young man. Relaxed as he was he seemed...young, about our age...I slowly tried to lift him, he was terrifyingly light...I got his upper body raised so I could pat his face and rest his back on my knees.

"Hello?" I called to him. "Casper?"

"What should we do?" Sharpay asked.

"I have no idea" I said. Seconds later the doors burst open as someone's shadow took its place in the door frame.

The man standing in the doorway was handsome, his hair was short and silver-grey but his face was young, his eyes fell on Casper. "Casper" he murmured. His green eyes turned a vibrant shade and he bore his fangs. "I'm going to kill you" he spat and with a snarl lunged at us. Fangs bared, eyes glowing and murder on his face.

I don't know if it was me or Sharpay that screamed but he bore down on us in a blur of motion.

Well...crap...


	4. In Which Ryan Makes an Impulsive Choice

_Just a brief little thing, I'm going to vary chapter length so I can work on isolating thoughts and feelings etc better. Quality over Quantity. The Upcoming Troy Section is tricky but I'm floundering a bit for some reason. Even HedonisticRainbows YouTube dedications to Tryan aren't helping and they are REALLY good! thanks to all my reviewers most especially those who have given me their thoughts and feedback. With any luck the next chapter with Troy's voice will be more rounded and accurate to his character. I aim to make it more casual, a little more private in some ways and less verbose. I think Ryan is cannonically dyslexic (it pisses me off when I hear "he couldn't read the t-shirts because he's stupid" regarding the first movie) and since dyslexics aren't stupid (some theorists suggest dyslexia is an evolution in the language centres of the brain so the opposite really) I think Ryan would have a really advanced vocabulary because he worked hard to overcome something people might have made fun of him for._

* * *

><p><strong>Ryan<strong>

Have you ever known something at your core? Not a core truth of the universe but that something somewhere is happening at that very moment? It was seconds before I heard the sound of a scream and I knew exactly where to go. "No!" I gasped; I pulled away from Claudia and felt the world swirl around me as I ran. The rush gripped me and the hallways and rooms passed me by as I raced towards the sound of the cry.

The man was handsome, at first I thought he was old but then I glimpsed his face and saw its youth. It was only his eyes that were old. He had Sharpay and Troy by the throats. Beside him, on the ground, curled up, lay a thin figure in white linens with dark red hair and a bad dye job.

The man in the waistcoat and shirt held my sister and my...friend...aloft with a definite anger in his body language. "Let them go!" I cried out as I slammed into him and slammed my palms into his arms, forcing him to drop his victims and sending him flying into the fireplace, his body shattering the marble mantelpiece.

I moved towards Troy but a well manicured hand wrapped around my throat and the other vampire hefted me into the air, hurling me across the room and into a bookcase. "Lucky shot! But there's more to fighting than speed and strength" he took a step forward and suddenly he was at the other side of the room with Claudia at his throat.

"Lord Shaw, lovely to see you again"

"Lady Cervenka, always a delight" he said, strain in his voice from the pressure on his neck.

"Tending to our guests?"

"Naturally"

"Very good"

"Yes, splendid"

Claudia released and let "Lord Shaw" drop to the ground. His Italian leather boots had barely touched the ground before he was at the side of the young man on the floor, hefting him into his arms with ease. "They were standing over Casper with weapons"

"He fainted on his own!" Troy exclaimed. Sharpay nodded in agreement, rubbing her throat and looking angry.

"The boy is prone to those fainting spells, ever since his ailment" Claudia amended. "I would like you to tend to him, and then have him reverse his entrancement on Henry...he's in the kitchen and Casper's capability with mental control is quite complex. Henry is currently stupefied. Reverse that".

Shaw grunted and carried the figure gently away. He smirked at Troy and Sharpay...and dropped his fangs before heading into the hall and blurring away. Claudia made a tutting noise as she picked up some books off the floor. "Erich Shaw is quite the addition to our society...but he is blinded by his emotions"

"Vampires have emotions?" Troy muttered, no one else would have been able to hear it but our senses were sharper. Vampires I mean. Did he count me in their number, as someone or something without emotions?

"Oh yes. Vampires are no different from humans" Claudia said softly as she put the last of the books away and ran her finger along the spine of The Great Gatsby.

"Well humans don't eat other humans for food" Troy said, the nervousness on his face evident.

"No. They just kill them for sport. The only difference beyond our abilities is that we vampires have left human society behind in many ways...or we had, back in our Golden Age, lately it has seeped in, shallow perceptions of contemporary beauty, indulgence in base instincts and a selfish need to satisfy our desires to be, what the individual can consider for themselves, special. There was no man or woman, no black or white, there was just others aside from yourself, it was community based on an understanding beyond the trivial ideas of aesthetic features, shallow perceptions and genetic fact. It was the spirit and mind that made the person not the flesh...and then somehow it all went horribly awry. Suddenly vampires sparkled in the daylight or lamented about their love lives with mortals. Suddenly self-control was something to be used as a last, dramatic resort. I have watched my children fragment, my community schism and all I can do is watch. You cannot order common sense. You cannot even give it. It is innate or it is learned and sadly it is also often ignored."

I glanced at Troy and Sharpay who were standing very, very still, barely even blinking...

She turned and walked towards Troy. "It is time for your goodbyes, Ryan"

I felt my body grow cold as Sharpay gasped and immediately wrapped her arms around me protectively. "You're going to have to pry him from my cold dead lifeless hands"

Claudia raised an eyebrow. "Why would I want to do that?" she sighed. "Come along, I'll bring you to a room you can speak privately in, I'm sorry my dear but this is how it must be". She turned and walked down the corridor, like drones we followed, Sharpay was seething and Troy was...well I couldn't read Troy, he just kept his eyes darting over to me, like he wanted to say something but couldn't find the courage.

Probably to tell me he and Sharpay were a thing now.

I always thought she would stay with Zeke, I'd never seen her quite the way she was with him before. That said it'd have been too perfect to have a clear shot at Troy if he ever decided to transfer onto my side of the pitch.

Claudia opened the double doors to a small room looking out on the garden and gestured for us to enter. "You may have 20 minutes but dawn comes and Ryan will need to rest, he's young, he will not have the fortitude to resist slumber" she smiled at us with a genuine element of sorrow in her features and I felt like she understood what I was feeling.

"I don't want to say goodbye to them" I said. "I don't want to lose my life"

"I'm sorry my dear but it's for their own safety" Claudia said softly, she stroked my cheek. "It will be dawn soon and you're too young to stay awake past sunrise. Be quick, I'll give them some comfort when I rewrite their memories."

She closed the doors and silence filled the room like a thick cloud. I looked at Shar and Troy.

Shar had been born six minutes and eleven seconds ahead of me, she'd been healthier, she hadn't been dyslexic and she hadn't had any confidence problems. I loved my sister; she was my best friend even after the happenings this past summer. I could forgive her but I wouldn't go back to being like that...her lap dog. Or so I had thought. Now I missed that chance. I'd be trapped in the dark because sunlight would burn me alive...the thought left a sour taste in my mouth, I loved the sun...how the hell was I going to live without it? No sunbathing. No catching the sunrise after the closing night of a show...all of that was gone.

Unless.

I hugged Sharpay. "Out the window" I whispered in her ear.

"What?" she murmured.

"I don't want to be forgotten, go out the window, it'll be dawn soon, they won't be able to follow you" Ryan said quietly to Troy and Sharpay. "You can't come back for me but...but I don't want to be forgotten, please, just...I don't want them to make you forget me, I don't want to lose my life entirely...I don't want it to be a lie."

Troy blinked a few times, big blue eyes confused for a moment. "We can take you with us!" he tried

"No, sunlight, I'd burn up before I had a chance, plus I think Luke can...feel my blood" I shivered at the thought. "I don't want him finding you guys through me. If I stay here I can run interference, I'm sure I'll be gone by tomorrow night but..." I hugged my sister for what I was sure would be the last time. "Look after Mom and Dad because if I'm gone it doesn't mean I won't be thinking of you all"

"Ryan you have to come with us"

"I can't, I can't be around people...I get so hungry..." I kissed her cheek. "Go now." I hurried over to the window and opened it, it was stiff but my body felt so strong that I barely registered it. Sharpay gave me a final hug. It was desperate and fearful and I knew she knew we would never see each other again...not if the vampires had their way. I was, for the first time ever, going to be completely without my sister.

"I promise someday..." she whispered, the threat of tears choking her usually well modified voice.

"Don't say that" I said softly. "Don't get wrapped up in this crazy stuff"

She nodded and nimbly slipped out the window and out onto the grounds near the pool. "I'm sorry" Troy said softly. "I'm sorry for all of this. If I'd -"

I looked at him slowly, taking my time to meet his gaze as he floundered for words and tried to say what he meant. "It wasn't your fault, the whole thing was out of our hands, I don't blame you" I said. It was mostly true but there was a part of me deep down that kept saying "If".

If he'd not argued with me...

If he'd insisted harder that I take the lift home...

If he'd only loved me...

"If there's any way I can make amends I will find it" Troy promised. If he would kiss me like he kissed Gabriella...she'd never appreciated it, I could tell, the pure and honest love he had poured into his kisses had been wasted on her, he'd thrown himself into the relationship, not cautiously like I would but...for one of those kisses I'd take a dive...my lips twitched, threatening to ask for that...

"...Look after my sister and don't do anything stupid" I replied, unwilling to let him know how I felt, even if we'd never see each other again.

"...but I'm so good at doing stupid things" he said, his smile didn't reach his eyes.

"Only sometimes, other times...other times you're a really good guy" I said, the space between us was infuriating, I wanted to cross it and just kiss him.

He licked his lips and looked at me...leaning in and...was he...did he want to...

"Come on!" Sharpay hissed.

I nodded. "Go, think of me sometimes" I said.

I knew I would think of him, confined to the nights, God if I went completely mad and started watching him sleep like some psycho-stalker I'd stake myself. Troy gave me one last look before he and Sharpay hurried across the pool area towards what appeared to be the garage.

I closed the window softly and pulled the curtains. Dawn was lighting up the sky outside...I felt a little weak to be honest as the last heavy curtain was pulled into place. The doors opened and I stumbled. Claudia's familiar scent was what I found, her soft, curvy figure catching me. "Where are they Ryan?" she asked, her voice growing distant, there was fear and...Sternness to her voice. My mother had never spoken to me like that, she'd never disciplined me. I steadied myself on the small table, looking up at the woman before me.

"...Away" I managed before everything went dark.

The feeling of the slumber was strange, it was different from sleep, it was heavier, I didn't have dreams as much as memories...and the feeling of Luke...watching me...his eyes upon me while I was vulnerable and unaware, he didn't have my permission, he was just controlling me with his gaze. It was a nightmare that I wouldn't wake up from...I couldn't break it, screaming, and be free; he was a part of me now. For all eternity. I felt a heavy wave of something stronger than exhaustion creeping into my mind like a fog.

I should have asked for that kiss or gone... in for it my...myself...it could have soothed my sleep...I...know...it...would...

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><p><em>Et voila. In the next chapter, Troy and Sharpay make a break for it and East High has a grisly discovery...want to know if the grisly discovery is the Ice Queen or the Golden Boy? Well...you never know... review please. Let me know what you want to see more of, less of and what you like or hope happens. It interests me greatly. I'll be responding to reviews properly next chapter. TTFN<em>

- 44


	5. In Which Troy Finds A Dead Body

**Blood Will Out**

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><p><em>So I've hummed and hawed over this chapter, editted it several times and I am still disappointed in the quality, it's really very shoddy and haphazard and the voices just don't work. I look back over the past chapters and see a desperate need to edit and revisit. Simple errors that my eye has grown desensethized to populate the pages. Life has been busy of late with work etc but here we are back again. After this chapter I may spend more time editting but right off the bat I can say <strong>I need a Betareader<strong> applicants should apply with naked Lucas Grabeels :P I kid I kid...but if anyone wants the job let me know. It means reading the advanced versions of my work and doing a check for grammar and spelling as well as finding areas in need of fleshing out and keeping track of the names etc._

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><p><em><strong>Reviews<strong>: Thanks to the reviewers the speed and quality of the reviews always leaves me really happy and impressed hence the reason I am trying to improve the quality and bring it back up to scratch. _

_Cwalk: Things are very complicated right now for Ryan...this chapter should expand upon certain ideas of vampire mythos. Thanks for the review._

_Emerald Rapley: You are far too flattering :) I appreciate the kind words and don't quite feel I deserve them_

_Dancefool91: Yes I awoke again to this pairing when I saw Hedonistic Rainbows videos and a clip of the vampire musical Lucas Grabeel did_

_Ryan: Aww shucks. I will try to_

_xBroken-Glassx: I went back and fixed that when you pointed it out. Sigh - damn transitionals...so difficult to work with they are._

_Nek0-sama: I know several people with eidetic dyslexia and they are (in no particular order) a biochemistry major, a social studies PhD prospective and a drama student. The idea of Ryan having eidetic dyslexia (the more commonly portrayed variety for television and film) makes some measure of sense since it does not affect the phonetic perception of words as the other kind does (I think its phonic dyslexia or something). The process of reading for an eidetic dyslexic is apparently easier to form a system around for easing the pressure but still varying degress of hard-to-do surround the process of reading. With regards to Ryan suffering...well...lets see how this next part goes. And yes I was trying to make everything seem rushed and careless because Ryan wasn't thinking 100% clearly, he was panicking and rushing. Still I would like to see him have a happy ending in all this (checks the M rating...just kidding). You're hedonistic Rainbow! Thats awesome. I look forward to the tribute video for this fic lol :P Love your videos, they usually help me find my way back to my plot for this fic.  
><em>

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><p><em><strong>Warnings<strong>: Violence, gore, death, threats, not too heavy but they are there_

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><p><strong>Troy<strong>

I grabbed Sharpay's wrist and we ran towards the flat roofed building that if my guess was right was the Garage. Between us we could drive pieces of rattling junk (me) and at dangerous and frankly criminal speeds (her).

The door to the garage was open, probably okay for blood sucking monsters to leave the odd door unlatched...not that they were all leeches, I mean...there was Ryan. But for how long? How long before he went all psycho like those vampires on TV? I mean sure there wasn't an unexplained extra set of teeth or anything but the end result was the same – vampires were evil.

Sharpay handed me a tire iron and picked up a wrench.

"We need a car and to get out of here" I said.

"Good plan...lets aim for something chic"

"Seriously? You're picky about our escape vehicle?"

"Hey, standards are standards" she said with a frown as if I was some kind of idiot.

Women.

There was no one in the garage but several rows of cars and vans were set up. No sports cars from what I could see, there was a plumbers van, a pick-up, a soccer-mom car and three sedans, one jeep and oh God was that a Lincoln Versailles? Those were outlawed for...being knockoffs of –

"Stop judging the cars" Sharpay scolded

"What?"

"It's the look you get when you are eying up a sports car, only you get it in reverse. Now what can we take?" I glanced at the row of bikes, not motor bikes, actual bicycles. "What is it!" Sharpay exclaimed.

"...There is a serious lack of sports cars" I muttered.

"Oh that is so very not an issue, just get us something that moves!"

"Golf, good handling, not too zippy but its the most commonly bought car in Albuquerque for young people"

"Not Corvettes?"

"No, Sharpay, not Corvettes...not everyone has Fortune 500 parents" I muttered as I scanned the walls of the garage. Big red box. That'll do it. Locked. Damn. So I grabbed a crowbar and pried it open, inside were rows and rows of car keys. Typical fair for a garage with a service station, they'd obviously need cars serviced in the day if they wanted to use them at night. I grabbed a set of Golf keys and hit the alarm beeper.

One silver Golf Diesel, check.

"Come on!" I said. Sharpay grabbed the keys from my hand.

"I'll drive"

"Oh Jesus" I groaned as I hit the door control and let the shutters rise in front of the row the Golf was in. The door at the far end of the garage opened, the one attached to part of the house by my guess, a figure holding car keys stepped into the area and stopped, mouth open and shock on his face.

"And we're leaving!" Sharpay said, I was barely in the car when she floored it, the garage door raked along the top and my door slammed off one of the soccer mom 7-seaters as we shot out of the garage. "Hey it's the Anders Mansion" she said. "I was planning on having my eighteenth here, huh, I thought that it was vacant"

"Apparently not" I grunted. "Crap the gates!" up ahead I could see the closed iron gates

"Hang on!"

"Cars don't break down gates! They crush against them!" I yelled as Sharpay floored it

"Well Duh" she pushed the button under the GPS and the gates began to open. "Do you not know what a gate control box looks like?"

"Not really, it's never come up" I muttered. "There aren't that many GPS' and Gate control units in the cars I hit with a sledgehammer."

"Huh...no accounting for taste I guess"

I rolled my eyes. We cruised around town for a while in silence, dawn had come, we were safe... "It's 7am..." Sharpay said at last

"Yeah...so what do we do?"

"We have school"

"My parents will have noticed I didn't come home last night, Mom's on an early shift" I said

"The Butler will have noticed my car isn't there for its 7am wash" Sharpay mused. "We should probably go back and get our cars from school"

"Ditch this car somewhere it'll get ticketed and maybe booted, then run back to school, get home and make sure we're not out in the night" I clapped my hands to my face. "I can't believe this is happening, this is...insane!"

I felt my mind whirling inside my skull. Holy crap. Vampires.

"Okay just calm down" Sharpay said.

And decided to do those high pitched vocal exercises.

While Driving.

New kinds of torture and horror were just turning up minute after minute here.

We pulled in at a Burger King and parked illegally. If Drivers Ed had taught Sharpay Evans anything it was 1) where the gas pedal was and 2) how to break parking laws. Well we all come away from high school with different things.

My eyes were starting to feel heavy as the adrenaline crash set in and all those nagging aches settled in my muscles. I yawned as we walked down the street towards the school. I'd need a damn good excuse, especially for Dad. Mom was easy going, she didn't like fighting or shouting and she tried to "have a discussion" about stuff. Dad on the other hand was a freaking powder keg.

"I cannot believe this is happening" Sharpay murmured. "What the hell do we do now?"

"We didn't think this through".

"Well nothing new for you there".

"What do you mean?" I grunted

"Oh come on, you always act without thinking" Sharpay sighed. "The musical debacle, changing songs at the talent show -"

"That was-not impulsive" I barely managed to avoid giving the game away. She'd go nuclear if she knew who had really made the swap. "Look the short term remedy was to avoid getting mind blanked...but now what? What do we do to stop them coming after us? I mean this is not one of those things where you go tell a teacher or parent! Seriously can you imagine Mrs. Darbus or my Mom dealing with vampires?"

I suppressed a chuckle at the idea of my mom wielding a stick of garlic bread and suggesting everyone count to ten.

Sharpay sighed as we approached the school. "Okay let's try and stay in crowds, that'd discourage them...right?" she was biting her lower lip and casting glances on all sides. Yeah...she was as scared as I was. This was too much, the ache in my muscles, the feeling of fatigue, all too real to be a dream and there was the feeling – the feeling of being hunted. It was like when you had the ball in a game only a thousand times worse. Plus the opposition coming at me had fangs and superhuman strength.

"I'll see you in home room" she said and sat into her car.

"Uh – okay...hey Sharpay"

"Yeah?"

"...Know any churches that are open this early?"

She blinked for a few moments and then shrugged. "I don't know, don't they have the same hours as a Starbucks?"

"I – uh – don't think so"

"I know they're open on Christmas"

"...I kind of need one now"

"...Oh hang on" she reached into her handbag and pulled out a bottle of Evian. "Here get a priest to bless that..."

"...huh..." she reversed and nearly flattened my feet before speeding off away from the school. I can't blame her. Hang on...I should be moving now...I ran all the way back to my truck, glancing over my shoulder every few moments and wondering if this was how I was going to live until my suddenly bloody death.

They could make me disappear and convince my family I'd gone to join the Foreign Legion.

That was a hell of a weight on my mind, I can tell ya.

My truck is...well she's temperamental...but she always comes through when I need her to. I was thankful she was even quiet when I parked her outside my house and allowed me to sneak in the back door and up to my room, even dodging the dreaded Step-Of-A-Thousand-Decibels flawlessly. That had gotten me in trouble in the past, well not this time! I slipped into my room, checked my windows and let myself fall onto my bed.

I closed my eyes and pulled my pillow in to my face. It was 7:43, in less than half an hour my Dad would do his drill sergeant routine and hammer on my door. If I wasn't up by 8:15 he'd barge in, pull the covers off and remind me that the early bird caught the worm.

He'd done it since I had started basketball. Which was like age 6...oh yeah and don't get me started on how my first morning woody had been in progress when he barged in. That had been mortifying and instigated the talk...

And now I was thinking of Ryan and WHY thinking about my erection had lead to Ryan was...unnerving. When he'd touched me it had been like being drunk...he'd been intoxicating...he had seemed so...wanting. Being looked at like that was so strange. I mean there had been fear in his eyes and this incredible hunger.

But somehow despite it all there had been Ryan in there. Energetic. Friendly. Gentle.

Ryan.

I was starting to understand why I'd been so focused on him...I felt strongly about him. I wanted to be near him. I was feeling an attraction to him and I had no idea when it had begun.

Wow...attraction...

I remembered Ryan, he and his sister turning up from Long Island, glamorous and wealthy, she had spoken first all the time and he had just cracked open a book and used it to hide from people if the slightly older twin hadn't been there to shield him.

He had been all big blue eyes and soft pale skin. Always wearing hats and matching his sister. Chad had joked that he was Sharpay's doll and I couldn't disagree with him but one time he was on his own in the coat room and he lost a button off his jacket...so I helped him look and I found it and gave it back and...well it was the smile, this slow twitch of the lips that came first... then the smile growing softly and slowly on his face before it vanished. It was like seeing a shooting star, that's what it was...I'd seen shooting stars and that glimpse of something rare... He'd thanked me and run off but it had been so strange to see him smile like that, that I think the memory had just...lingered. It wasn't attraction back then...it was curiosity I guess. Man I needed to sleep...my brain was slowing down...grinding a bit to be honest.

I closed my eyes wondering why I felt all of this now.

Why couldn't I have said something earlier?

Before Luke?

I closed my eyes and let exhaustion knock me out.

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><p>Dad woke me in his usual way but ten minutes late. I was so very thankful for that.<p>

Let's be honest, this was a pretty unusual situation, I mean how many people can say they're on the run from vampires? This would kill my social life...or just kill me... I stepped into the shower and let the water hit m- JESUS! COLD!

"Dad! All the hot water is gone!"

"Should have gotten up earlier then!" he called back

"Oh come on it was ten minutes and there are only three of us in the house"

"Yeah but someone didn't turn on the water heater last night so I could turn it off this morning and make sure we had plenty of hot water"

"...uh" I stepped back under the water and winced at the icy drops hitting my skin. Well there goes my morning wood. Being with Gabby had never helped much, she wasn't all that into sex and that sort of thing...I mean I could understand wanting to wait and stuff but she could be so highly strung about it. Like even a touch could tarnish her reputation. I was willing to go to all kinds of lengths for her, seriously, and she wouldn't even let me hold her properly, even fully clothed on the sofa we couldn't cuddle.

I like touching.

Touching is great.

The feel of an actual tangible connection to another person...I lived for putting my arms around her when we were together. My body shivered as I remembered feeling Ryan's hands on my skin...the way _**he**_ touched me was so...good...it was like he was savouring it, like he wanted it too...

Despite the water I got hard again.

"Damn it!"

I laid my forehead against the tiles. I knew I was having feelings for Ryan, more than friendship feelings, but _**this**_ was pretty severe. I wanted to say it was vampire mojo but it wasn't it was, like, Ryan mojo. I'd lost him twice in less than ten days and it was driving me mad.

I let the cold water wash away my exhaustion, the stress and my erection. I had survival to think about...Ryan and his cute butt could wait.

Well there it was I was thinking about his cute butt...I was thinking his butt was cute...Oh boy...

I had it bad.

I grabbed toast for breakfast, avoiding Dad with pretty impressive skills, seriously my timing was flawless, I even caught the bread as it popped out of the toaster. Mid. Air. Yeah I'm just that good. I was always good at dodging people, it was like an instinct. Chad had called me the "Singing, Dancing, Basket Shooting Ninja of Albuquerque" back when I'd gone to the

I didn't want to have to make excuses or lies to my Dad, I'd give it away in a blink and that was totally _not_ worth a clear conscience.

* * *

><p>How do you figure out if you're gay or bi?<p>

I mean I was checking everyone that walked past but I think that was mostly because I felt I should. I wasn't even sure if I was actually seeing anything I liked or if I was just telling myself I did. Darbus congratulated everyone for the showcase. It felt like years ago, I mean, so much had happened... like vampires. Vampires had happened. They were a thing now.

"You okay?" Kelsi asked, crouching by my seat as the bell rang for the end of the hour. "You seem...drained...and we didn't get to talk last night"

I bit my lip. "Well -"

Jason's bag clipped me upside the head as he stormed past with a snarl. Kelsi frowned. "What is his problem!" she sighed. "It's like he went from being a nice guy to being a total jerk in a heartbeat".

To be honest I had no idea. I liked Jason, he was cool, a bit slow but a nice guy, kind of like a puppy. Right now though his MANstral cycle was totally not my problem. Not to be a dick but I had fucking vampires after me.

"Listen, I was hoping we could talk" Kelsi began. "I think you're having trouble dealing with Ryan's death and...well...if you need someone to talk to, I'm here and I really think you should talk about it" she rested a hand on my arm. "Troy, there are things I really think you need to address".

Martha and Amber had suddenly materialized. "Guys, class" Martha cooed with a smile.

"Oh yeah. Chemistry" I muttered.

"I'm headed that way" Amber said. "We can walk together"

Kelsi have me a Look (note the capital L).

"Sure, let's go" I said.

Amber was hot, shoulder length blonde hair, a cheerleader, blue eyes, perfect figure, not too big boobs and a pretty good set of legs. She'd danced with Zeke at the victory rally...Sharpay had never forgiven her for that. Even if she and Zeke hadn't even been remotely together at that time. She'd lost someone close to her recently and...That's all I really knew about her.

We walked down the hall towards the Chemistry rooms. "So...you sang really well last night" Amber said. "It was amazing"

"Thanks" I said. I tried to remember what she did... "Oh and everyone's hair and make-up looked great, I think even Sharpay was happy about it."

"That'd be a first" Amber sighed. "I still don't quite get why she doesn't like me"

I could try to explain but I barely understood Sharpay's logic about dancing with guys she wasn't dating yet. I guess it was pre-emptive or something. Speaking of the blonde she was marching down the hall towards us, pink high heeled boots clicking in unison with the British girl behind her holding her pink bound notebooks.

"Hello Troy" she called, waving as she walked all leg and hip, making heads turn as she did, or rather she would have if the hall hadn't been devoid of people sensible enough to get to class on time. "Don't you have a class to get to Amber?"

"I'm headed there with Troy" Amber said defensively, wrapping one of her arms around one of mine...oh boy...

"Mhm...well I'm sure that's a real treat for him, but I need to borrow him" Sharpay grabbed my other arm and I had this horrible mental image of a Christmas cracker popping and all its contents falling out. In my case: basketballs and...probably sheet music I guess...

"Well you can catch him after class" Amber said firmly

"Or you could" Sharpay responded

"Oh I could but I won't because you will"

"Oh you think so?"

"Look girls" I said trying to pull free as delicately as possible. I was a little worried their manicures would rip chunks out of my arms to be honest. "Class doesn't wait for anyone..."

Jason rounded the corner sniffling into a tissue. His allergies were probably at him again...maybe I could bring him antihistamines and try to figure out what his issue was.

"See we're almost as late as Jason and his record is two hours" I said giving him a smile, he just stood there with his face hidden behind his handkerchief. Yeah. Handkerchief. His mom had even monogrammed them for him.

"Thanks so much Troy" he scowled.

Sharpay pulled on my arm. "Let's go!" she exclaimed, her assistant was watching with a pained expression. I think she needed to spend some time as the person being pulled at. Ow. My armpits!

Amber pulled on me.

I slipped free, hearing the shoulder of my t-shirt tear as Amber's grip on my arm was lost but not her grasp of my sleeve. I stumbled and bumped into one of the columns of mini-lockers near the janitors cupboard, there was a clunk and someone grabbed my foot.

No someone didn't grab my foot.

A Hand grabbed my foot.

Specifically an old, blood stained hand with ragged tears of flesh at the wrist and murky clots speckling it. I slowly turned to look at the packed lockers that had swung open when their busted locks gave against my weight.

The terrified and very dead face of the janitor stared back at me. Well actually its eyes were closed...not that it mattered seconds later when the screaming began.

Sharpay screamed.

Amber screamed.

Tiara screamed.

Sharpay and Amber both fainted on top of me. I barely managed to catch them both but the adrenaline surge must have been kicking in because I was able to hold one girl in either arm and stay upright. "J-Jason...dude...call the cops" I said quietly...alarmed at how...serene I was feeling.

Oh that was shock right there.

Jason stared at the locker for a long moment and then took out the old piece of crap he called a classic and punched 911 into it. Retro it may be but at least it made calls.

Tiara looked like she was about to swoon and I mentally prayed she wouldn't because three fainted girls was going to be a bitch to balance.

I wanted to reach out and close the door on the face...the man had been ripped to shreds and left in lockers! What the hell was this?

An uneasy memory stirred as Jason tried to talk to the police about what was going on.

Harold had been missing last night...so this was what had happened to him?

A sick feeling bubbled in my stomach and I stared straight ahead, trying not to feel like a useless lump and wondering when the urge to puke my guys up would start.

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><p>Detectives Morris and Wong...of all people...geez.<p>

Wong looked straight at me the minute he arrived and I swear he narrowed his eyes like he was saying "You again, punk?" It was a real "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly" moment. Morris pushed her hair back off her face, her cheeks were read and healthy and her face was unreadable as she looked in at the crime scene.

Scenes?

Whatever the case she was walking towards us with Wong at her side.

A guy hacked to pieces in a high school?

Disarticulation.

That was what they called it in that movie I saw with...uh...Meg Ryan and that guy from that Rom-Com about a ghost that Gabby and Martha watched whenever Taylor and Chad had a falling out (it happened a lot but never lasted). Hacked up into pieces and stuffed away.

Poor guy.

"Mr. Bolton" Detective Morris, clicked on her pen and flicked open her notepad. Pretty old school. I looked at her, Amber was being comforted by the school nurse while Sharpay tried to remain composed. The Ice Princess was melting, though. I could see her tremble when she couldn't hold it in any more. "You discovered the body?"

"Yeah I fell against the lockers" I nodded. "They popped open and I saw...I saw...uh...well...the dead body...sir-ma'am-detective". Smooth, Bolton, Smooth.

Detective Morris gave a soft smile and sighed. "We think this was the burglars from last night" she explained. "They probably killed him for his keys – this was excessive though, probably panicked... and definitely the work of a psychopathic type."

"Robbery?" I murmured without joining the dots. Damn. The vampires had set up a cover story.

"Yeah a gang of thugs broke into the building to grab some computers, some of us disturbed them and they attacked us with crowbars but they ran away" Amber said. I looked at her...there was something in the eyes...something...familiar. I'd seen it in Martha's eyes. Maybe I was being paranoid but it was a glimmer of someone else's eyes.

What if they'd programmed Amber to kill us?

Or Chad? Or Kelsi? Or Taylor?

"Ms. Evans you look unwell" Detective Wong said slowly.

"Well...duh" Sharpay said slowly, her face pale under her make-up. "Dead body and all...I need to go home...sorry...Troy could you take me?"

"Uh...sure"

Wong opened his mouth with a frown on his features but Morris cleared her throat and he immediately shut his mouth. "Go ahead, Miss Evans, get some rest, if you could arrange for an officer to take your statement we'd appreciate that".

"Mm...yeah sure, I just need to rest" Sharpay said. I could see that a toll was being taken on her, she was exhausted...completely drained...I was amazed I wasn't in the same condition to be honest. I took her arm and lead her towards the car nurse's office. "No...I'll call the family doctor" she said firmly. "I don't want to get tied up in stuff away from my home...it could get dark out..."

I nodded and headed to the main office. Mrs. Landers the secretary waved us past. "I heard already dears, you're excused for the day" I smiled at her warmly. "Someone will get the homework for you." Less of a warm smile for that bit of info.

"I'm not getting in your truck" Sharpay said firmly as we stepped out into the autumn breeze of the day. The threat of rain was on the air and to be honest I wasn't in the mood for snobbery. "It's too slow...if we're like chased"

"I don't think this is the Bourne Identity, Sharpay" I sighed.

"Vampires, Troy, _vampires_..." she muttered.

"Fine I'll drive though!" I grunted, having a quick flashback to...well any time I'd ever seen Sharpay behind the wheel of anything with an engine. I eyed the pink convertible cautiously as she put her bag in the backseat. "So this is what a Ken Doll feels like" I muttered as I sat into the driver seat and searched for the seat control. I didn't need my knees under my chin if we do get chased down by vampires on motorbikes. I glanced upwards at the sky...the sun was high in the sky and the clouds were few and far between.

Sharpay was silent for the drive, just leaning her head back against the car seat and closing her eyes. Her face was drained and I let her sleep. I was lucky I didn't feel tired, I guess it was that hour of good sleep. I suppose I was lucky in that I wasn't the one whose twin was going to be rooming with blood sucking fiends and would never see the light of day again. I can't imagine how that must have felt, the feeling of that bond being severed without actually being severed.

Sharpay pushed a code into the module on the GPS and the Evans Estate gates opened. "I asked the chef to buy extra garlic today" she said. "I think I'll bring some bottled water to the church down the road" she stared straight ahead as the gates slowly opened for us. "There's a broken chair in one of the spare rooms I can sharpen the legs on"

The idea of Sharpay with a whittling knife was kind of amusing but she didn't notice the smile on my lips. Probably for the best. We climbed out of the car and Sharpay walked toward the front door with a frown on her features, she seemed to be surveying the array of parked cars. "Mother must be having a charity meeting" she snorted. "Just what I need, women in floral patterns and big hats."

She unlocked the door and for a moment seemed to sag in defeat. I was about to reach out and put a hand on her shoulder when she snapped upright, a smile on her face and flicked her hair over her shoulder and swept into the house. "Mother!" she called. "Something awful happened" she walked into a conservatory where a murmur of voices could be heard and beckoned me along. Feeling kind of like a dog I closed the door and trailed after her.

The house was big and had polished marble floors and a special kind of emptiness...like there weren't that many memories in it. It felt cold. They'd been here for a decade and the place felt like a show house. It showed they were the Evans'... there were pictures of Ryan and Sharpay on a beach in the Caribbean or Mr and Mrs Evans by the leaning tower of Pisa...but none of them all sitting or standing together. I'd never really noticed that before. It didn't seem like the type of environment that Ryan would flourish in.

"...dead body in the lock-" the crash of glass made me spin around to look at Sharpay standing in the doorway and looking down the room with a blank stare on her face. I walked towards her and turned to follow her gaze.

"What's wrong darling?" Mrs. Evans asked, concern and confusion on her slender face. "You look like you've seen a ghost. Are you well?"

"She's probably shaken up by the dead body she mentioned" a woman to Mrs. Evans' left commented. Claudia smiled as she sat in the sunlight from the conservatory windows, the golden glow casting a bizarre pallor on her flesh that made her look sickly and tired to those that had seen her at night. She rose slowly, adjusting her large sunglasses and walking towards us. "You ladies continue the discussion, I'll just see to it she's alright"

"Thank you Doctor" Mrs. Evans said.

"Please, it's always Claudia – except to the interns" Claudia chuckled. "Perhaps this fine young man will escort her in case she falls". I could feel those eyes behind the shades...they were watching me intently...like she was sizing me up. My eyes darted to the small table nearby...could I get to it and break a leg off? I licked my lips.

"Let's not cause a scene" Claudia whispered. "Come along now". She put a hand on my shoulder and the other on Sharpay's and led us out into the garden.

"H-How are you here?" Sharpay murmured.

"I was invited, I made a sizeable donation to your mother's charity this morning, the one for the performing arts being given to the disadvantaged" Claudia responded. "It's quite admirable. The theatre is where the soul can be given voice after all".

Great it was Darbus with a set of fangs and dark hair.

"But...it's daytime"

"We published Dracula and Carmilla and all those other stories for a very good reason dear, to humble our species and grant insight into how to defeat us to the humans..."

"But...Daylight!" Sharpay exclaimed.

"Have you ever actually read Dracula dear? We can go into the Daylight but it's difficult. I've been around long enough to tolerate it, if you're born strong enough you can overcome the urge to sleep through the day and move around in the daylight without overheating. The blood boils you see, it makes us run a fever until we learn to control it, we become sickly and unwell, sometimes delusional and often drowsy and the light sensitivity is so acutely painful... As time goes by we grow more resolute and eventually walk easier in the light. The light is still harsh upon us though and it leaves us with...echoes." She sat down on a bench and patted the seat. "So...shall we discuss the more pressing matter?"

I eyed the nearby wooden stake holding up a sapling. About eleven feet away unless I jumped the rockery...yeah I could make it.

"Sunlight is not my natural habitat...I'm not powerless" Lady Cervenka said to me, her eyes behind her sunglasses catching mine and following the line to the weapon I'd had in mind. Damn. "Others might be – I am not."

Sharpay slowly sat down on the bench. "So..."

"A dead body in the high school you say?" Claudia mused as she caught one of the first autumn leaves on the wind right out of the air. "Who was it?"

"The Janitor" I said slowly as I sat down...the chill up my spine was not from the breeze...it was from the memory of the Janitor's face. Shock and horror had been plastered all over his features...what must have happened to him? What could have ripped him apart like that? "He was ripped to shreds and stuffed in a locker"

Claudia let the leaf go onto the wind and watched it flitter away. "I see...well that's interesting... you see he died of a broken neck and was meant to be left at the foot of a flight of stairs. With a little pressure the morgue wouldn't probe too deeply into specifics" her brow furrowed. "But tearing him apart and putting him in a locker...that does not lend itself to an easily overlooked accident. It draws unwanted attention from all sides."

Sharpay and I exchanged a look. Waiting for her to turn around and just wipe our brains out...or rip them out...whichever I guess. "I don't intend to eradicate your memories" she sighed. "I should, but while I have ruled you be left alone, left to me, I don't doubt someone else will try to sever your ties to Ryan by severing your heads. We really are monsters when our desires overwhelm us."

"I don't get it" Sharpay said. "You talk like being a vampire is a terrible thing but, immortality... eternal youth... incredible powers... where's the downside?"

Claudia looked down at the ground for a few moments. "I have promises to keep and miles to go before I sleep...and miles to go before I sleep..." she shrugged. "If you were one you would understand... you carry your guilt with you, your urges become stronger...your identity begins to fragment. The centuries pass and being good and fair and just becomes a trial as you see inhumanity after inhumanity, as you see your friends and family age and die, then their descendants do the same and all the while you are draining the blood of the world because it is all that keeps you from becoming a horrific mummified monster. And yes we can walk in the sun, but we run a fever, we are unwell, we feel wrong...we live between living and dead, one foot in either world..." she sighed sadly. "Not that some vampires care...they give in, they yield..."

"If you're not going to remove our memories then why tell us that?" Sharpay asked quietly, her voice sort of...hanging in the air for a while...trembling despite how cautious she had been while talking. Claudia just sighed.

"One of you may well end up dead" Claudia explained. "Luca is determined to possess Ryan, I can feel it...in order to do so he will either kill or turn Sharapay. He's already demonstrated a desire to kill Troy by locking him in the room with a starving Ryan."

I shivered at the memory...feeling Ryan's body against mine and the feel of his eyes raking across my skin. "So what do we do?" I asked.

"The day is the point at which we are weakest, at noon some vampires that can move the rest of the day are rendered completely paralysed, for instance, as dusk moves towards us our strength and powers return. The older the vampire the more power they can wield during the day. It takes effort and energy to move around, the day does not want us, it is like a salt water fish in a fresh water lake. Not as nature intended". She spoke with some anger and even more sorrow in her voice, I could hear it in each word, there was...envy...she was forever young and beautiful and she envied us...humans.

She stood up and turned away from us for a moment. When she turned back she was composed again. "A threshold will keep vampires out, the weaker the threshold the easier it is for them to push through but still they will leave power behind, they will suffer for the invasion. A strong threshold will keep them out. If you are caught on the streets and must flee stay in public places and hurry to a church, the sense of community and the faith within its walls will shield you."

Claudia swept her arm up in a graceful arch and looked at her watch. "I have to go, the girls are discussing hosting a charity casino night and I promised some prizes" she moved towards the steps, her body not as graceful as it had been. It was...just normal. Sure there was poise and grace to it but it wasn't the creepy kind of grace it was just a normal person walking well. Sharpay gave a loud yawn and I jumped a little, still on edge...can you blame me?

We walked back to the house in silence, going in through another set of doors to avoid Claudia.

It was still light out, not that it mattered anymore, anyone could be a vampire. Anyone at school, anyone on the street, anyone in this house, even people on television...oh did they show up on camera?...I jumped as a maid shuffled past, it snapped me back to the present where Sharpay was looking at me with an annoyed glimmer in her eye and her phone in her hand.

"Huh?" I managed

"Zeke, he'll be here soon, if – if you want to stay we can have a guest room made up so you don't have to leave"

"No, I'll go home, thresholds and stuff...it's safer for me there I think" I murmured. I honestly didn't believe that in my very core but I didn't want to be around a place that felt...a little empty and it reminded me of Ryan. Thinking of Ryan made everything more complicated and there was only so much a guy could handle at any one time. My feelings about Ryan where tricky enough without his smiling face in photos and his name echoing across baseball trophies.

Sharpay nodded and I realised that we were standing outside her room...outside her room and Ryan's. "I wonder if there's any way he can be turned back" Sharpay said at last. "Like if we kill that son of a bitch that...that turned him maybe-" she trailed off and I think I heard her let go of her last shred of hope with a sigh. "Never mind" she pushed open the door to his room and stepped inside.

It felt like an age since I'd last come in here. Probably because so much had happened so quickly.

There were pages on his desk, A4 sheets with letters and words written out several times. "What's this?"

"It's how he worked around his eidetic dyslexia" she replied, picking up the pages. "Or tried to, um, he had the type of dyslexia that made words jump around the page and stuff, it made reading and spelling really difficult. When we were 7 our teacher called him stupid because he wrote some letters backwards and got like 3 and 8 mixed up."

"Bitch"

"Yeah. Anyway it wasn't until the counsellor got involved that he started a program and found how to deal with it. Theatre helped, but he used to just memorise one of the staff reading his lines. Back in Freshman year he was always stealing Javier away to get him to read his lines...well that was what he claimed" she giggled. I felt colour spreading through my cheeks at the thought of Ryan "running lines" with someone. Even Javier. Javier was good looking – I guess – I mean I don't know if a guy is good looking or just looking good, like if its a sexual thing or non-sexual...like a guy can look good without looking sexy good...damn it, I don't know if I'm thinking that because I want to or because I think I should.

Sharpay was still talking as my brain tried to twist itself into a pretzel shape. "He had a great memory for sounds actually, it was super useful, and he could quote stuff perfectly so long as he heard it." She frowned. "He _**has**_ a great memory" she put the papers back in a folder with shaking hands and flicked her hair back over a shoulder.

I think she did that whenever she wanted to cover her being nervous.

It was a tick.

When I was 13 Chad had taught me how to play poker, he was damn good too, I always lost, turns out the only girl that can keep up with him is Taylor. But I had learned about how people had things they fell back to when they wanted to look calm and collected. Little actions and gestures.

"You don't know if it's past or present tense" I murmured.

"Its present tense, he's still alive" Sharpay retorted.

"I understand – I'm trying to figure it out too". She nodded and headed for the door with a purposeful stride, deliberately avoiding letting me see her face as she strode across the room. I glanced at the desk one last time...there was the cast picture of the musical on the desk.

I felt a sigh escape my body...my eyes wandered over the simple silver frame, the faces behind the glass...to Ryan's. I felt warmth in my cheeks and in my chest.

"God...I'm so screwed"

I barely realised I'd said it allowed until I saw the look on Sharpay's face. A carefully manicured eyebrow arched towards her blonde locks. Oh this could get awkward. "Hey Sharpay I wanted to put it in your brother not you" or "So a funny thing happened on our way to the lair of the blood sucking night-horrors"...nah neither of them sounded right.

Did she know?

She probably doesn't know anything.

All I said was "I'm so screwed" maybe we have a trig test tomorrow?

God I hate Trig.

"Shar?" Zeke's voice came from downstairs and in a moment I was forgotten and Sharpay was focused on Zeke as he came up the stairs with a Tupperware container in hand. He spoke as if afraid, probably assuming she was going to slap him for not being there for her or whatever. "I was in Home Ec when they told me you'd gone home and they wouldn't let me le-"

Sharpay just wrapped her arms around his upper body and buried her head in his shoulder. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her on the top of the head, gently, closing his eyes and looking worried and content at the same time. Happy to be with her. Worried about her. Zeke was a really good guy and he cared about Sharpay. A Lot. She was lucky to have him.

"It's all wrong...all wrong" I could hear her murmuring over and over. "I just wish..." She hugged him close and Zeke's arms wrapped around her tighter still and suddenly I felt very cold and alone.

"I gotta go guys" I said, putting that smile on my face with a tilt in my back to make it seem like I was easygoing and carefree. I had a lot of practice with it

"Are you sure that's safe?" Sharpay asked.

"I'll call my dad" I said, my fingers dancing over the keys on my phone. "Um. You two probably have – um – stuff to do..." I gave the same smile as before and headed towards the stairs as Zeke hugged Sharpay close and let her cry into his shoulder. She glanced up at me, her eyes warning me, as I descended out of sight.

The cold evening air swept over me as I stepped outside a few minutes later. My dad's car was at the gates. I shivered and hurried across the grounds. I looked up at the darkening sky and looming twilight...it made me run faster.

I was starting to feel the nag of exhaustion in my limbs as I climbed into the car. My dad looked at me and started to drive. We were silent for a few moments and then he turned on the radio, some easy listening music flowed out and I saw my dad's finger begin to drum on the steering wheel as he did. "Do you...want to talk about today?"

I stared out the window as the white lines zipped by on the road. "I...not right now"

"The paramedics checked you out?"

"Yeah for shock and junk" I murmured. "I had a blanket on my shoulders, it's all good". I gave that smile a good work out again and got a frown from Dad. "I just...I don't want to dwell on it right now. Okay? Later."

My dad gritted his teeth for a moment and then sighed. "Troy I know we've grown a bit distant since the musical...thing but I know this can be a difficult time for anyone – decisions to make and all that. Just remember you can talk to me about it. I've gone through stuff like what you have gone through – I was your age once"

I wanted to laugh. I felt the rough laugh stirring in my throat but I swallowed it back down and just gave a tense little nod. He wouldn't understand the whirling confusion in my brain. _**I **_didn't understand it, so how could he?

I was thinking back now.

A thousand little moments that I had missed and that wouldn't come around again...moments that could have made everything make sense.

It felt stupid. So stupid I could laugh ... or cry... missed opportunities were agonising. Despite myself I was feeling waves of resentment for Gabby. It wasn't something that made much sense really but... if I hadn't been distracted with her maybe I could have seen Ryan for who he was. I know how ridiculous that sounds – but hindsight is 20:20.

The world was filled with ifs and maybes I suppose. But as those little white lines flew by they felt like the dozens of missed chances to just kiss him or hold him or touch him and say that he was...that he was...

Hah. I didn't even know the words I wanted to say.

I wanted to see him again, to see if they came to me, to see if I could ever make sense of this crazy ball of thoughts and memories floating in my head and in my chest and in the pit of my stomach.

I felt sick.

My dad's voice jarred me back into the here and now... it wasn't all that good a place to be to be honest. Here and Now was an unpleasant place to be. It was fully of complications and sticky situations and things that made no sense anymore.

"Look son, you could still be in shock and -"

"I was checked out, I'm fine" I said curtly. Dad glanced at me, a look of anger on his face mixed with deep concern in his eyes. "Sorry" I said as I let a breath out in a sigh and rubbed a hand over my face. I was so tired. So terribly, terribly tired.

My dad's eyes softened and he smiled the same smile he would give me when we were shooting hoops and I beat myself up for missing a basket. "I understand..." he said slowly and waited for a moment before he spoke again. "Think about what I said, life is too short to waste time fretting"

"Pretty sagely advice, dad"

"Darbus has it on a mug in the staff room"

"Less sagely" I amended with a chuckle. The atmosphere got a little bit softer for a moment...the tension falling away just enough that I could relax my shoulders. We pulled up near the house and dad sighed softly.

"I need to pick up your mother. There's dinner in the oven, some chicken and potatoes, you know the drill. We'll be late back, she wants to drop in some meals to Mrs. Carling and that woman can talk for the Olympics". Dad grimaced at the thought of the tiny 83-year-old woman who was one of the elderly and unwell that my mother delivered foods to. She force fed me peppermints and treated me like I was six as she talked for hours about the old days...only my mother had the patience for her patients I think.

"Her car's broken down again?"

"Yeah. It didn't start this morning and I had to drive her out, the woman has a terrible relationship with technology." I smiled back at my dad and climbed out of the car. "We'll hurry back. Make sure everything is locked up, okay?"

I nodded and headed for the door, my keys in hand. The simplest little things for personal security. Still it was only now getting darker; I wanted to be inside and in control of invites before nightfall. I closed the door and headed to the kitchen to put on the food and check all the locks.

I checked the phone messages... Mom had a call from Mrs. Carling, Dad had a call from Darbus about a PTA meeting... there was a bill for a gas meter reading, a flier for discount pizza, an invite to a cheese and wine tasting for Mom...it was all so normal. God I missed Normal.

I ate my dinner at the table in the kitchen, waiting for night to fall. The anticipation started to fall away as the feeling of dread grew. I shivered every time the street outside got quiet suddenly, half expecting to see a horde of vampires trampling the white picket fences and my mothers garden to get me.

The clock hit 8pm and I felt the entire days exhaustion overwhelm me. I'd somehow held it off for nearly 48 hours – go me. I was hoping Claudia would keep the vampires from getting us. Sunlight weakened them...like on Supernatural...I wonder: what dead-man's blood would do to them? I wouldn't mind testing it on "Luca".

I climbed the stairs to my room, the house was too quiet, my parents would be back soon, Mom probably had to make sure Mrs. Carling ate dinner and Dad always liked to stay nearby just in case – it was that policy the on-call doctors that travelled out to patients had. Only mom found it a bit silly.

I pulled off my shirt.

Kicked off my shoes.

"Not bad"

I froze, the words trickled like cold sweat down my spine. My body locked, a feeling of dread washing over me as I glimpsed a figure with overalls around his bare waist approaching in the mirror on my wall. Hungry eyes raking over my skin he moved towards me.

"So handsome, yes, you certainly have a body to die for..." a pair of feverishly warm hands gripped my shoulders, sliding down to net their fingers with mine. I felt the body behind me, his bare tanned chest against my back. "You like your body...you like being seen..." the lips were at my ear...I knew who it was. "You've got a beautiful exterior to be sure..."

Luke spun me around and grabbed my shoulders, the dark night outside was keeping him strong. "He's mine...do you understand? He's _**mine**_" he snarled, his pupils dilated and that unearthly golden yellow colour took over. "I can smell your desire for him, I know you want him, well you can't have him because he and I are in love and I won't let some S-T-R-eight curious jock ruin his heart"

I felt myself slam into the wall under his grasp. His hand was like a vice around my throat, his eyes were digging holes in my forehead with the intense hatred behind them and he held me a good foot off the ground beside my window.

"He-he'll never love you" I choked out, feeling my face go red and head directly for blue.

"Oh he will. Watch and see. I will **make** him love me"

"You can't make someone love you"

"Watch me...oh wait...you can't..." he flashed a grin, his fangs showing. "You're going to have a nasty fall..."

"How did you get in! I didn't invite you?"

"Well Someone had to read the gas meter..." he smirked. I had one chance, I could try to do a True Blood and tell him he wasn't welcome...

"You're not w-" before I could relinquish the invite his hand closed tighter over my throat and cut me off.

"ah-ah-ah" he chided. His free hand ran down my body. "Such a beautiful young man...perhaps if you're... _nice_ to me...I'll let you live..."

"Not a chance" I gurgled, barely getting the words out. I wanted to spit in his face but my mouth was so dry you could build sandcastles on it. Death was incoming. But I wasn't going to let this dick see me scared.

"My sentiments exactly...oh well". He twisted. The world spun I hit the glass, shattering it, and saw the white picket fence coming at me very quickly.

There's a flash before you know you're going to die. It's that flash of your life but the bullet points and for me it was all the things I had missed out on – especially Ryan. Why did I have to realise this now? Why couldn't I have understood sooner? Now it was too late. All my regrets and the...well...the whining I'd been doing, they all condensed into a moment and I hated how I had acted so powerless. I should have found a way to fight.

I have to be honest it wasn't the death or pain that scared me most it was the uncertainty and regret and the fear of "what comes next".

An agonising pain in my stomach confirmed... that I'd hit the fence and I could...see the red pooling as it slid down the white painted wood. Oh...my heart was...beating so s...slowly...now...

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><p><strong>To Be Continued...<strong>

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><p><em>In the Next Chapter: Ryan gets a crash course in the fact and fiction of being a vampire and is strong armed into a date with Luke, unaware of what his "beau" has done to Troy. Is Troy dead? Well I know I hope he isn't. <em>

_A note on "The Sunlight Thing" as I said before I am a vampire buff, classical vampires had varying relationships towards the sun, some rotted under it, others merely lost their power and other were weakened. The exploding into a ball of fire thing only really came with Count Orlock in Nosferatu though in previous stories there had been a note or two about sunlight being lethal to vampires. I decided to take the Victorian vampires as a model - besides there are fates worse than death. I'll explore it more from a vampire's perspective in the next chapter. I hope you can all bare with me and see how it turns out. I guess I'm field testing my own spin on vampires on you guys. _

_Feel blessed?_

_I hope you all bare with me and let me try to prove this worth reading._

_Later Days_

_44_


	6. In Which Ryan Learns the Art of Combat

**In Which Ryan Learns The Art of Fighting**

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><p><em><strong>Cwalk<strong>_: Well I can't say Troy will be getting turned into a vampire what with his being dead and all. That said vampires are very particular about making more of them, throughout history they have Turned unwisely and its never gone well. ;) more on that later.

_**xBroken-Glassx**_: Since youre so busy I'd hate to take up more of your time if the workload ever lightens up let me know lol. I'm so glad you enjoyed the chapter and I'm interested to see what you think of the last bit of this rather breif chapter

_**Emeralden Rapley**_: Thanks so much for the review, hope this chapter is interesting too. As for about Jason he just has a headcold...

_**neko-sama**_: your reviews always make me so very cheerful, you give me a good critique I can use or at least try to use. I meant to send you a copy of this but I completely forgot and if I don't post it today it may never happen :P That said we could have a chat by private message about this story and its direction as you seem to be something of an expert on the pairing. I await the fan video dedicated to me and my wonderful brilliant ideas (see how modest I am) :P Serious topic though: I was very concerned abou the massively broad spectrum of dyslexia and portraying it but a bit of research did help. Terribly sorru about the wait! Hope you enhoy it

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><p><strong>Warnings: Some discussion on violence but little more, still M to be safe<strong>

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><p><strong>Ryan<strong>

I awoke with a cry, other shouts echoed down the halls to my ears and for a moment everything was too loud, too bright, too pungent...my senses settled into my body, I shivered as I pushed to cotton sheets off my body, the feel of them becoming – well, normal – to my skin.

I was naked.

That was pretty intrusive.

"Hello"

I was across the room with a pillow to guard my modesty in a blink, the familiar rush of raw speed tingled my skin. He had dark blue hair now but I recognized him from before. I think Casper was his name. He crouched on the chair near the windows in crisp white linen trousers and shirt. "I'm Casper Van Croft"

I nodded slowly. "R-Ryan"

"I know. Hello" he slid gracefully off the chair, his movements were like a ballet dancers but with a strange...lacking to them. Like he was going through motions he didn't care about.

He looked pale and wan and so very delicate. "You're very pretty"

"Uh...thanks" I felt myself blush as I clutched the pillow closer to my crotch. He reached out and laid his cool palm on my heart. "Your heart hurts...but he loves you"

"...Luca ruined my life" I said.

"No. He doesn't love you. He wants you. I didn't mean him"

He looked at the door and smiled as I took a moment to process what he said. I opened my mouth to ask "Who?" trembling at the thought of it being someone specific.

The door opened and a man in a waistcoat, white jacket and form fitting black pants tucked into riding boots entered. "There you are -" his green eyes glanced at me and I immediately recognized the pretty face that had tried to tear my sister and Troy apart. "Ah...you're not to disturb the infant" he muttered. He had handsome features, cold, but classical – like a marble statue. His dark hair was gelled immaculately, his nails were manicured and he looked like a bit of a sissy with all that grooming but he had the kind of face you wouldn't mind looking up at as you...oh bad thoughts...

I frowned and folded my arms. "Good Morning to you too" I scoffed

He looked me over. "No need to salute" he smirked with a nod. I clamped the pillow back down, berating myself for having forgotten about that fact. Damn. Damn. Damn.

"Erich" there was suddenly a terrifying kindness in Erich's eyes, a love that would see him rip people's hearts out for Casper. I felt a bit jealous. No I felt extremely jealous. To have someone so in love with you that they could put aside all the bad things in their hearts and because they wanted to give you only their best... I could see that in Erich Shaw's eyes. He would die for Casper.

Casper seemed to tremble and lay his head against the broad chest of the man before him. Erich's arms, strong and firm under his shirt rippled as they held him with incredible strength yet an undeniably present tenderness.

If this jerk had one redeeming quality it was the fact he genuinely loved this kind of pathetic guy who must have suffered some serious break.

"Erich I can hear heartbeats like the drums of a witch doctor. Closer and Closer" he murmured. "I hear the witch heart beating...but I hear a duet become a solo too...please stop it Erich..."

Erich held him close. "Shh, don't worry, it's alright, tell me what you sense"

"I sense a tip in the scales, I feel it pushing down on me" his hand snapped out as he pointed at me and I nearly fell backwards in surprise. "His heart still beats and the cord that strums ties him to the golden boy, Luke won't like that...at all...let the fork drop! Let it drop!"

I stared at him as he babbled before suddenly collapsing into Erich's arms and going still. His eyes had been wide and full of certainty, like he could see everything he was talking about happening right in front of him. Erich just held him close. Resting his chin on the slighter man's head he just held him, then in one movement swept him up in his arms and laid him on my bed as he fell into a quivering slumber.

"...is he okay?"

"...Mostly..."

"...You really love him"

"Yes" Erich said with such vehemence I felt like a shot had been fired at me. "I've been with him since the 13th Century...the cruellest of jokes is when you get to spend eternity together but at the cost of his vitality, we have been together since the First Crusade marched on the Holy Land, we were together when they took what they claimed had always been there's..."

I swallowed nervously. "That sounds like a story"

He turned a cold glare to me but a whisper tickled his ear from the unconscious figure in his arms. It sounded like an ancient language, Latin probably; I'd never had much of a grasp on it beyond what had been in scripts I had read. Erich looked at me...and his eyes softened. He tossed a robe from the back of the door to me so I could hurriedly cover up and then turned away.

"Come with me" he said, still gruff and cold but...gentler somehow.

He walked through the halls, several other vampires hurried out of his way as he carried Casper back to what I assumed was their room. It was a huge room with a large four poster bed on it. Pictures dotted the walls but I didn't get a chance to examine them as Erich whisked me out of the room having tucked his lover in and kissed him so gently on the forehead it barely seemed to have been contact.

"I was Turned in 1087, my Progenitor found a Norman youth with dreams of heroism and made a vampire of him. It was a strange maternal impulse that drove her – she saw a spark in me, a fire" he explained. I found it hard to imagine a spark or a fire in his cold, icy eyes. "Whatever the case I wound up separated from her in 1095 and with little else to do but a fear of damnation – perfect fodder for the Crusades, desperation for a Holy mission guided me to the words of Pope Urban the Second and his Holy Crusade" there was contempt dripping from those words as he lead me down the hall to the foyer and into a side lounge. He hated the Crusade...I guess he had the power of hindsight in a way others didn't. He'd lived the mistakes, seen what fall out his events had had, even centuries later and watched them repeat themselves. "He was beautiful...a second son to a noble from what is now Germany, only a year younger than when I had become a vampire, but he was vital to the Crusade, he could see things that others could not, his dreams gave him insights and he understood things beyond mortal scope".

"Did you make him a vampire?"

Erich bristled as if I had suggested something horribly distasteful.

"No. He was a seer" he said at last. "To do such a thing would be inhumane"

I sat down opposite him in front of the heavy velvet curtains. "What do you mean?"

"The mind is gifted with the Sight to last for a human life-span, immortality is a cruelty to a Seer" his teacup shattered in his fingertips, hot tea pouring over his digits and sloshing to the floor. "Blast" he cursed, hands rushing to put the shattered remains on their saucer. "But some vampires don't think, they just Turn people on a whim – I'm descended from the Iron King but he was bitten by the Obsidian Queen's descendant – I was willing to let Casper live his life, even watch over him when the walls crumbled and dream and reality fell in together...but someone took my choice, more importantly they too _**his**_." The seething rage and harsh bitterness on his tongue and in his words practically cut my ears. Love and hate were forever locked after all and here was love breeding hatred.

"So he lived longer than he was meant to and...it's like a person that can't sleep, delirium and stuff?" I was half-speechless with the fear he might snatch out my tongue for talking about stuff I don't understand.

"Effectively, he sees endlessly and his mind cannot cope, it has weakened him progressively, especially since his Progenitor hates him" Erich hissed. "A curse in the blood, as some vampires are prone to doing, he cursed Casper as a curse upon me for Casper loving me, a two-fold vengeance, he cannot escape the withering sickness, the plague of spite, that his creator placed in his heart" there was a wave of hatred rising from him again and part of me really wanted to run. "...two things that everyone has that are powerful sources of magic: Blood and the Dying Breath. With those two things you could destroy even one of the old gods".

He'd poured himself a new cup of tea and I sat there cradling my own for a few minutes.

"I don't know how to be a vampire"

"You'll learn" he sighed. "Or you'll die"

"Is that a threat?"

"No. It is a fact. Here are the facts – to the world you are dead, you will need to consume blood to survive and you will have superhuman capabilities. The good news is that Twilight and Anne Rice were wrong about a few things"

"Like what?"

"Sunlight won't kill you but it will weaken you to the point of barely being able to function and we _are_ nocturnal by nature, our eyes don't deal well with bright lights, when you get strong enough you'll be able to function in the day but until then you will find it trying."

It was weird to hear him say that in such a matter of fact way – I guess I had to adjust. I mean I was sitting here with someone who had endured the Crusades. "What about that trick Casper did?" I asked. "The thing he did to Henry?"

"Oh it's a trick some have, I've never been adept at it myself, the eyes are windows to the soul and the gaze is a claiming power, mix the two and you subjugate their will to your own, just as some are good at driving emotions into overdrive or moving with supreme alacrity we all have our knacks" he grinned and I noted his fangs, he was proud of what he could do...whatever that may be.

"What is it you do?"

"I'm a Knight of the Houses" he replied. "I kill enemies of the vampire clans."

"E-Enemies?"

"We're the natural predators of mankind but everything needs a way to die, it's a reason to live...to some extent at least – vampires are deprived of that powerful meaning, there is no clock to live by, no rush or fear of unexpected fatality, no chance to truly experience life" he rose from the seat and moved towards the decorative swords on the wall. "The only rush that comes close now is the threat of death at the hands of an enemy...I must never burden Casper or he may be forever lost to me"

I swallowed nervously as he took a sabre from the wall. "So...would you like to learn?"

"To do what?"

"To control yourself"

"What does it entail?"

"Oh a little aerobic exercise"

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><p>I hit the wall with a gasp and barely had time to bring the sword up to block the hack. "You're fast" Erich noted as I darted to one side, the rush wrenching at my very core and moving me to where I wanted to be. Namely out of reach of the swordsman.<p>

It was only 15 minutes of exercise but I felt as though by rights I ought to be huffing, puffing and sweating madly. It was a cold sterility that I felt instead. There was no rush of life, breath or fear as he came at me with the sword...there was a survival instinct in my gut but it was something...sharper than what I'd felt before my death. Not that I'd been attacked with swords very often. I brandished the sword before me put one hand on my hip and desperately thought back to playing Laertes in that stage combat class.

I attacked. Suddenly coming from Erich's side he danced to one side, his style was rigid and strong, he wasn't used to the sabre, he didn't use a sabreur's stance. He had a no-nonsense style, barely taking a moment to block in the most direct way possible and boot me in the chest again. "I thought fencers were good at getting away from a hit or two" he sighed. I caught him off guard when I moved next, he didn't block my first strike, parried the second but I pulled back and kicked him in the face.

All in the space of a second.

"Ah...you're fast...very fast...you're stronger than I anticipated"

"Expecting me to be weak?" I enquired, feeling it'd be better if I was panting or out of breath... my victory (small as it was) would seem won somehow.

"No expecting you to be average...now try it without the speed though, let's see if you have any skill"

"Two months of stage Combat" I replied as I went on the offensive again. He moved, swirling his blade to send mine shooting across the room, grabbing me by the throat and slamming me to the mats. Swinging his blade in his right hand and pointing it down at me.

"Try Crusades One through Nine and a few World Wars – then we will talk about experience. This is a fight to survive, do not rely on human instinct, use the creature inside you, do not deny the thing sheltered in the fragments of your soul, it is your Id, your Animus and Anima, it is the lizard brain on steroids, it is cold and calculating and it will guide you if you can dominate it."

I nodded mutely, the cold steel pressed to my throat and the cool body leaning a knee into my chest, the firm, work worn hand around my throat. I felt a tickle of that excitement he was talking about but it was not for me. He was telling me to find a passion...I know what my passion is...the same thing it has always been.

"Unhand him please" Luke was walking across the wooden floor of the room. It would have been an ideal dance theatre...if the walls weren't covered in weapons and shields. Even a few suits of armour lined the wood panelled rectangle of a room.

The early night sky stretched outside and across the floor were intervals of blue matting of the same dark shade as the night.

"Oh Luca, here to collect him for a molestation?" Erich sneered.

"Don't you have an invalid to be celibate around?" Luke retorted

"Oh cutting words from someone who needs to get an entire room of vampires to keep just one"

"For a pawn you certainly have a lot of attitude, tell me – does he even know who you are? Does he even recognize you when you touch him? Does he even love you anymore and if so...how do you know? I do things out of love, you do them out of duty"

Erich bore his fangs with a snarl. "I adore you think you know anything about Casper and I! It's like a child with a wooden sword thinking he knows about fighting!"

Luke chuckled, a deep sinister sound that resonated with the warm spite I could feel in my blood coming from him. I slowly got to my feet, dusting off my tracksuit pants and t-shirt as Erich looked ready to swing for Luke

"Oh now, now, now, must everything come back to the brutish talents of combat? I came to bring my darling Ryan a treat" Luke said as he snapped his fingers, two of the feeding humans from the house wheeled in a dining cart and Luca grinned. "You can still eat mortal food after all, so I thought your favourite might be in order..." he rested his hands on the two silver covers. "Tagliatelle with Baby Spinach and Parma ham in a white wine sauce and then Lemon Meringue Pie for dessert" he declared as he whipped the covers away with a flourish. "According to my research at the resort its what was served at your request for your birthday dinner – hard won after arguing with your sister"

The aroma hit me like a brick and the memory of hunger washed over me...but that's all it was... a memory, it was a pleasant idea, a charming recollection...but that was it. It didn't truly make me salivate or my stomach growl. But...it felt like it would be nice to eat.

Luke grinned at me. "Let's celebrate the cutting of ties and the living of a new life" he offered me the fork like a serpent tempting Eve with an apple. I looked at him. "How did you know?"

"I promised to make this transition as easy as possible so I checked in with that restaurant you loved so much, a little enticing of the head waiter and presto he revealed what it was you always ordered" he smiled and flicked the fork between his fingers. "You're young, energetic, still in touch with human appetites, you'll learn in time how food sickens and weakens us, and how it is a part of our endless curse-"

Erich laughed.

Loudly.

"Oh please, we can eat we just don't need to or gain any benefit from it. You act like it's some big terrible curse thing, like it turns to ash in our mouths or something. That's a _metaphor_ you **idiot**" Erich sneered.

"Go away, Erich, this doesn't concern you"

"It doesn't concern you either, Claudia's his Mentor...not you"

"Ah but she is away at the Magistrate's behest, she required her council and so she is busy for the evening" he grinned at Erich and his dark eyes darted to me, I felt them rake over my body and realised exactly what he had in mind from the thrum of his blood in my veins.

And part of me was responding even if I hated to admit it.

"Oh...and you should run along to your little puppy – I believe he's having a nightmare by the sound of cries coming from his room. So neglectful..."

Erich gave another hiss and darted out the door at impressive but not superhuman speed.

Luke gave a triumphant grin and strode towards me, wrapping his muscled arms around me, left hand sliding down the small of my back to my posterior. "Now we're alone...can I tempt you to a bite?"

I trembled as he guided me to the seat. "In time you'll see that mortal affectations are beyond us and the blight of ash that is food within us must be purged...but until then..." he held the fork out in front of me.

He must have meant to drop it into my hand but instead it bounced off my palm and rotated slowly in the air, twirling downwards towards the floor. I felt my body twitch...to catch it...pluck it right out of the air and then..._let the fork fall_.

It clattered to floor and Luke sighed as he picked it up. "Your reflexes will grow faster, some can pluck bullets from the air in fact...but that is many centuries away my love" I nodded slowly as he leaned in to me. "Now we can forget about all the silliness of that silly basketball player and whatnot."

I pulled away as he leaned in, the lack of breath feeling disturbing to me. "I don't want to forget my life" I said quietly, it was almost painful to say. "If I have to leave it I refuse to forget it". He rubbed my neck but the feel of his fingers tensing made his anger quite clear.

"Of course you don't..." I felt the desiring effect his me as he passed his pheromones into my body to excite my libido. "You don't have to but you should...you can have an eternity with me and I promise I will love you...unlike the basketball boy would have."

I froze as he leaned in for a kiss and then pulled away, the folding chair I was sitting on falling to one side with a clatter as I distanced myself from him. It was intuition. It was paranoia. It was cold, icy dread in my heart. "What have you done?"

"What?" Luke looked...bemused? Concerned? I don't quite know. But he didn't seem to understand my reaction. That made two of us.

"What have you done?" I gasped, the feeling rising in my chest, threatening to strangle me. "I know you've done something"

"I don't have any idea what you-"

I turned and ran. Out the door, around the corner...into the hall...and then...I just ran

* * *

><p>It was a blur, I moved on reflex honestly I didn't know where I was going or even why I was running I just felt it. There was something pulling me and as I ran across the dusk shrouded city I wondered what was moving me. Everything was a blur, an obscene blur...as I stumbled to my knees, starved and exhausted, my reserves burnt up from effort...I realised where I was.<p>

I was kneeling on the path to the Bolton house. For a moment I let myself think back...to the parties that he'd held after the musical and games...the celebrations under his Tree house...the smell of barbeque...wait.

I sniffed again. The scent on the air was coppery and harsh, pungent, like incense, it ticked my nose and throat, caressing my tongue and I felt hunger rush through me. It was blood. I knew it.

...Troy...

I followed the smell, it was like a haze of rubies in the air, I could see the actual scent leading around the side of the house. I was powerless even in my fear to resist the lure...the dread creeping alongside the hunger.

I shivered as I rounded the corner...the scene before me sent coursing horror down my chest. Troy lay on his front, his head turned ever so slightly so he eyes looked at me blank in death. Blood had trickled past his lips but now it was still and congealing in the pool around him. His clothes were caked in blood and pricked with glass, tatters and shreds of flesh and cloth adorned his frame as he lay splayed amidst the shards of white picket fences.

The largest piece of wood jutted up through his back, a stake through his abdomen and out his back...he must have been in agony as it buckled under his body and drove itself to splinters in his gut. The thoughts were horrifying to me...imagining what it felt like...the pain he must have endured...

I had fallen to my knees at some point, the dizziness and horror overwhelming me so I barely realised where I was or what was happening. Slowly I crawled across the grass and broken glass to his side. The neighbourhood was so quiet...his body was so cold...how had he just died and been left in a pool of his own blood to be found by his parents.

How long had he been lying here? How had no one heard the glass break?

"How did no one come to help you?" I whispered leaning down near him. Troy had always smelt of either sweat and basketball or of cologne and fresh air...now he just smelt like blood. I rested my forehead against his cheek and felt cold tears running down my face. Ice cold droplets of water dripped onto his cheek.

I ran my hand down his face, closing his eyes as I did. I never got to tell him that I cared about him, more than just a fixation on how sexually attractive he was...who he was made me feel like I was someone special too. I never truly got to sit down and talk to him about just how much he meant to me. I guess I'd never figured out how much he did until I felt a void open in my chest because it was too late to talk.

When you're young. When you're immortal. It was the same thing. You always thought you had more time than you actually did. Saying goodbye at the mansion had been one thing but to see him dead, beyond my reach, now that was something else...

"Ryan"

I spun around startled, feeling my fangs snapping out and the shadows of the night retreating from my vision. "Careful" Claudia said as she materialised. "People will only dismiss so much oddness that they see." Her eyes darted to Troys body and a solemn expression graced her delicate features. "My darling... I am so sorry"

I shivered and to my surprise she walked forwards, red velvet gown and coat flowing in the wind...to embrace me and hold me in her arms. "I truly am sorry"

"Luke did this" I managed to choke out, my body unable to cry but my heart wanting to – the confliction between the two impulses caused me to sob without tears for a few moments. "He did this. I know he did. I can feel it."

Claudia stroked my hair soothingly. "I cannot comment, my darling, I don't know for definite...I felt your sorrow like a knife to my heart and was compelled to come to your aid".

"He killed Troy" I murmured. "He was jealous...he killed Troy and I will never forgive him for it"

Claudia grasped my shoulders and pulled away to look me in the eyes. "Listen to me, Ryan, you must learn the way our society works...and the way Luca's clique work. Vampires can follow a duelling code, an archaic one, we can settle disputes that way if needs be, or by debate, or by trial, but Luca...Luke, belongs to a group called the Black Velvet Society of Darkest Night, an abominable clique that prides itself in mimicking the vampires of Twilight and Anne Rice. They will simply murder as they please and then make a show of remorse. Murder is sometimes necessary for our species, sometimes unavoidable...we must understand that. But if you want to enter The Game of Houses then you must be ready for what it entails – you can use force, intellect and guile but to be overt and use force against Luke would be unwise, I cannot protect you if Vendetta is called. Do you understand?"

I shook my head. "Not really...are you saying that I can't make him pay for this?"

"I am saying that if you wish to have revenge or justice or whatever place between you believe your feelings settle...if you wish to do that then you must be clever – you are young after all. He has been alive since the Renaissance and is an adept manipulator. If you want your revenge, and I will not stop you from pursuing it, then you must understand that it might be the death of you"

I looked at Troy. "I'll take my chances..." I murmured.

"Just don't let it define your eternity" Claudia said softly, almost wistfully.

Then it happened.

I can't say I've ever believed in miracles...when I first realised I was gay and my life as a minority stretched out in front of me I believed in curses, but never truly in miracles. Perhaps when I look back at how horrified I was of who I was I can see a miracle in how I found my way to accepting myself. Beyond that, however, I had never been one to believe in miracles...

Then again I had never believed in vampires either until recently.

The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end and I felt Claudia tense up. Then there came the violent, harsh intake of breath couple with a cry of pain. Sobbing, wretched, terrified sounds as I turned to see Troy trying to get to his feet, the shards of wood still jutting from his flesh. He arched his back as if wracked by a spasm and gave a sob of pain.

"My, my, my" Claudia breathed.

The scent of ozone seared the air as Troy stood shakily to his feet, like a child taking first steps, as if his entire body was unfamiliar to him. I stood stock still...sure I was having some kind of hallucination...there he was, Troy, alive again...I felt the world become more acute and I could hear one heartbeat...his. Echoing in the silence of mine and Claudia's was the sound of Troy alive.

He stumbled towards me and I reached out to catch him.

"Ry" he murmured, words slurred at the edges. "I...ugh...you have terrible...taste in boyfriends" he managed with a faint smile. I let myself chuckle, just happy to feel the warmth in his body again. "I... have a serious stomach ache" he murmured before falling forwards against me. I caught him and lowered us both to the ground, cradling him in my arms as he looked up at me. "Just need a minute" he said, a funny gold hue spilling out over his lips and lighting his eyes. "I'm...glad to see you again"

I leaned down and placed a kiss on his lips. Just a peck...he stared back up at me for a moment and then closed his eyes. I checked to hear him breathing and his heart beating and both were there. I laid my forehead against his and let my body admire the warmth of him.

Right before a crossbow bolt hit me in the shoulder.

Claudia whirled, long dress and coat fluttering on the wind, to confront the attackers, parked neatly out of sight of the rest of the street and blocking us off from where others might spot us was a familiar looking sedan.

It was Mr. Bolton's car and he was running forward, eyes red with tears towards me with an axe. Mrs. Bolton was reloading the crossbow she had fired at me and before I processed the fact the Boltons had medieval weapons and solid wooden crossbow bolts...I cast a thought to the fact I was leaning over their son who had a wooden shard imbedded in his stomach and they'd last seen me on the newspapers having been killed.

The fact that they might actually succeed came seconds later when Coach Bolton swung the battle axe at my neck...marvellous...

* * *

><p><strong>Sorry about the brevity of the chapter it was a hard one to write...not sure if its Troy or Ryan in the next one but I'd like your thoughts on that and on this chapter. This should be interesting<strong>

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><p><strong><em>To Be Continued...<em>**


	7. In Which Ryan Learns The Game

**In Which Ryan Learns the Nature and Scope of "The Game"**

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><p><em>Thanks to all my wonderful reviewers and an extra special thank you to nek0-sama who beta'd this chapter. In the next chapter Troy and Ryan will be spending more time together, rest assured since we get to see exactly what's going on beneath the surface of the school PTA.<em>

_**xBroken-Glassx:** Thanks for the review, sorry for the delay on this chapter it is a month overdue actually! I just couldn't seem to finish it O.O! Erich and Casper are very fun characters, they also have a kind of mentoring for both boys in some ways, even just passively. Erich is cold and aloof but you see the humanity in him with Casper which in a way gives Ryan some hope of not losing himself. I am very fond of the pair and since I have a mental scheme for this to be a series to some extent - - - well it'd be nice if they were to materialise. Thank you for reviewing the more delightful reviews I get the more promptly I can post because I feel inspired by the words of my readers :)_

_**Emeralden Rapley:** Thank you! I'm glad to see you're hungry for more. I hope I keep the perspectives as distinct as I can, you really made me feel at ease about them._

_**Nek0-sama:** Well here it is, I took a lot of your notes on board, most of them in fact. I hope this clears some things up along with the next chapter. I hope to have cleared away a lot of exposition by the end of the next chapter and the next chapter will focus on Troy and Ryan spending more time together. It's a bit weird in some ways as I don't quite know where to go from here though I do know my final destination. The boys will make it through this but it shouldn't be unscathed, Luke/Luca is a vicious fellow with a wicked sense of obsession attached to his behaviour, it's all about manipulation and power. I really want people to hate him and for Ryan to really have to think on his feet to out smart him rather than overpower him. I aimed to break down the barriers of fluffy-happy-la-la-la-ness and I think the last chapter helped. Just be warned...there will be death for others in the cast, but if you like I may grant a wish for a single character to definitely be spared...maybe ;)_

_**Goddess of Sand:** Well here you are, truth told it was your timely review that really motivated me to get back on this project. Everyone say thank you!_

_So without further distraction here it is, recommend me to a friend if you fancy it, let me hear your thoughts in reviews, I like to react to what I hear and you can influence the story in some way by simply letting me hear your perspectives._

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><p><strong>Ryan<strong>

's axe sliced the air with a hiss, but he was tugged backwards, and his aim was thrown off by Claudia snagging the belt loop on the back of his trousers. Her hand moved, and she caught the next crossbow bolt from the air. She let out a sigh, and threw it aside. "If you would -" she began, only for Mr. Bolton to swing at her. She blurred away, casting a glance to the street, and then baring her fangs. "Humans about, love," she chided as he swung at her again.

"Yeah, well this'll be brief," Coach Bolton spat, pure hatred in his voice.

Claudia gave a musical laugh and blurred to one side. In a heartbeat, I was soaring through the air with Troy's unconscious form. A few moments passed as Claudia deposited the pair of us on the back lawn near the pool tucked into the corner of the garden.

"It's been a while since someone has tried to kill me with such passion..." she mused as she settled Troy on a reclined sunbathing chair.

"What are they doing?" I exclaimed as a second later, the Boltons kicked in the side gate. Mrs. Bolton held a sword now, and she and her husband ran straight towards Troy. Claudia interposed; she twisted away from Lucille Bolton's sword and slapped the axe aside with a laugh. "What will the neighbours think?" she chided.

"The Delaney's are on vacation!" Coach Bolton snarled as he swung his battle axe with incredible ease. I guess basketball wasn't the only exercise he did.

"How juvenile," Claudia snickered as she pivoted around the coach and ducked swiftly under his furious swing. The action was so violent; it twirled his body 180 degrees. "I don't really see why you have such aggression towards me..."

"You murdered our son!" Lucille hissed as she swung at Claudia. There was a hiss and a clang as the blade hit Claudia's outstretched palm.

Claudia closed her fist around the sword, her flesh mottled and reminiscent of white marble for a moment. "I don't believe I did, darling." She frowned. "I don't think you know who I am."

"The Blood Red Queen, the Crimson Blight, the Mother of Murder," Lucille recited. "We know who you are, and we know what you've done-" There was a sort of righteous panic in her voice, like she was depending on her knowledge to be of use, like it was the only edge she had to try and knock Claudia off balance.

Claudia's eyes narrowed and then glowed with a sombre, blood red light, a low snarl echoing in her throat. She bent the sword backwards and looped it around into a vague knot. "Do you dear? Do you really?"

Coach Bolton swung his axe down between them, more in Claudia's direction than anywhere else. Claudia darted backwards out of the way, floating an inch off the ground and landing silently. "Take care of Ryan," the coach said, offering his wife a machete he pulled out from underneath the back of his coat. "Make sure Troy isn't turned", there was a solemn suggestion in there...that something would have to be done to make sure he wasn't turned. I think he meant cut off Troy's head...then mine...the order really didn't matter I guess.

Lucille nodded, and I gulped as she ran at me like a vengeful lioness. She was a lot more athletic than she appeared to be. Suddenly, the nice woman who made cookies for bake sales and rallies, and made my mom just the littlest bit jealous, was running at me at full-speed, drawing a machete from a handmade leather sheath.

I missed the lady with cookies. "Hey- Wait!" I yelped, hoping to reason with her. She swung again. I darted out of the way of the blade and caught her wrist. "Mrs. Bolton – wait it-it's not what it looks like!"

"I'm sorry Ryan...I'm so sorry they turned you into this thing-!"

She twisted my arm and flipped me over onto my back. She swung the machete with furious intent. I barely managed to shove myself out of the way, causing the blade to clash off the brickwork ground. She moved like lightning toward me as I scrambled to my feet. Okay, so one combat class doesn't really prepare you for this.

I was able to avoid her. Seeing the world move at a snail's pace meant that her blade was easy to step away from. I made the mistake of going too far, however, and she completely changed her movements, slashing me across the chest. I winced. The pain was significantly less than I anticipated, but it still stung. I looked down to see a slow leak of blood trickling down my flesh behind the gap in my shirt.

"Ryan! Do not let yourself bleed, it's a bad habit!" Claudia called. She seemed to be absentmindedly darting around the yard, balancing on a flamingo's head then vaulting over an axe swing that destroyed the gauche decoration to land on the back of a chair in a crouch.

I could feel a strange joy coming from her. I guess that's what she felt through mine and Luke's blood when she talked about "feeling" us. She flipped over Mr. Bolton, and gave a peal of angelic laughter as he swept the axe at her. I winced as the machete sliced across my hip, and Mrs. Bolton attacked with terrible speed.

"M-Mrs. Bolton! Please! Can we talk about this?"

"Sorry... but vampires are-!" She lunged with a blade, and I barely made it out of the way. "-dangerous enough in combat, but-" I flipped over a heavy slash that could have bisected me. Thank you Hip Hop Camp '95 to '99. "-it is letting them talk to you that's really fatal!" I swung a deck chair up in defence, and parried her blade. The chair lost its legs on one side but I got to keep my head...fair trade I think.

"Claudia! We need to reason with them!" I shouted.

"Hmm? Oh please just a few more rounds, darling, they're as good as I'd hoped!" Claudia replied, her inflection joyous.

"Claudia! Please!" I cried, unsure of how much longer I could hold Mrs. Bolton off. She'd started hacking the chair into kindling about five seconds ago and was making terrifying progress.

"Oh, if you insist!" Claudia allowed the blade to hit her flesh, and for a moment, her skin flickered with dark veins which quickly turned into a surface as hard as marble. The blade clashed off of her, and she grasped it in her marble fingers. "Terribly sorry, dear," she chirped, and punched the axe shaft, shattering and splintering the wood. Then, as an afterthought, she swung her arm up and sent the Coach plunging backwards into the pool.

Mrs. Bolton hacked the deck chair in two and while I was watching Claudia she slammed her shoulder into my chest, throwing me off balance. She swung the blade, a sad look in her eyes...there was a whooshing and suddenly Claudia stood in her place and Lucille was crashing into the pool's pale blue water.

The Boltons were swimming for the steps out of the pool. I remembered when they'd gotten it...The pool party, Coach Bolton had been barbequing, and Mrs. Bolton had made a pool shaped cake...

And now here they were, trying to murder me.

Or avenge their son.

Depends on perspective, I suppose. "You killed our son!" Coach Bolton gasped as he held his wife close. They seemed scared. Was that what I was? Something to be afraid of? "I hope you burn in hell for what you've done..."

Claudia sighed. "Oh darling, hell wouldn't have us... Well, me at least. Ryan is distinctly on the side of the so-called "angels", which works to his detriment, depending on what he chooses to pursue in following that dicta. "Everything in moderation", I always say, and I say it quite often, and have for many centuries. Tell me darlings, would you like some towels because really you are positively soaked! Although, that may be the terror and whatnot, which I can understand to some extent. Though if we– really dear...have a towel," Claudia said as she plucked two towels off the backs of chairs near the garage.

"...Don't like dinner waterlogged?" Mrs. Bolton growled, snatching the towel with a hurried fear in her movements.

"No, I don't, but I've already had some blood this evening, and then bought the donors some dinner. I always recommend something high in iron afterwards," Claudia replied as she adjusted her dress and took a seat near the poolside table.

Thoroughly shaken, I moved in the direction of the backyard to take a seat by Troy. I needed a minute and truth told Troy was always a very grounding influence even if I hadn't the faintest idea why that might be.

Suddenly, I looked up to see Claudia catch Mrs. Bolton's arm before the Bolton matriarch's hand could connect with my face. "You're a nurse, Mrs. Bolton," Claudia said coldly. "Have you checked your son's respiratory system lately? I do believe the intercostals muscles are moving."

"He's rising too fast," murmured the coach darkly, his green eyes wide. "It takes several nights..."

"Darling, he's not a vampire" Claudia scoffed, releasing Mrs. Bolton. "Somehow, he survived being thrown onto a white picket fence."

As if on cue, Troy coughed and sat bolt upright. Mrs. Bolton screamed and started to cry at the same time. "Oh God he's alive!" Mrs. Bolton sobbed, pushing me aside to hold her son close and sneak a medical exam. The remnants of the fence post were gone from his stomach. Bloody slivers of white painted wood lay alongside the main shaft on the grass, as if they had been pushed out, like nothing more than a giant splinter. Only a clear patch of skin ringed with dried blood seemed to indicate any wound. No. On a second glance, I could see a faint scar on his stomach.

"What-! How-? Is he a vampire?" Coach Bolton splutteredincredulously. "They can mimic life signs!" His eyes darkened with the accusation and I saw his hands tense, his knuckles crack, he was on high alert and bracing himself for the grim consequences of Troy being made a vampire.

"No. Dad I'm not-" Troy started, his voice still weak and his body still shaking slightly.

"Did they attack you?" Coach Bolton snarled, glaring at me, and at Claudia, who had her hands on my shoulders as she stood to my right. "I'll take them apart!"

"No. I – I don't know why they're here, but I was attacked by another vampire," Troy said, desperately trying to calm his dad while his body swayed slightly. As I contemplated reaching out to steady him, Troy's eyes widened with a sudden realization. "Wait. Whoa..! Back up and hang on…You…! How are you…? Why aren't you two freaking out?" He searched his parents' faces; a confusion covering his features that I could see might break into rage very easily.

The coach and his wife exchanged a nervous look, and then tried to seem at ease. "Oh- well, you see darling...it's...very complicated," Mrs. Bolton began.

Claudia scoffed. "They're hunters, they murder my kind-"

Coach Bolton interjected angrily. "You're a race of parasites!"

"We're apex hunters by necessity." Claudia insisted primly.

"You rape, murder, torture, torment and destroy lives for sport!" Coach Bolton retorted fiercely as he positioned himself between her and his wife and son.

I let out a sigh, rubbing my temples as the two of them went back and forth, you'd think they were the married ones...actually it sounded a lot like Darbus and Bolton arguing.

"Depends on the vampire."

"You're the worst of mankind!"

"Depends on the man."

"You kill hunters!"

"Oh gosh I wonder why. That might have to do with the attempts at killing us. Which lot are you with, then?" Claudia inclined her head, narrowing her eyes and giving him a cool scrutinising.

"Do not talk to me as if we are anything like you. We don't feed off living, thinking beings to survive!"

"Have any good burgers lately, Coach?" Claudia sneered and flicked the grate on the barbeque with a finger.

"That's different."

"Oh yes. Humans survive vampire feedings, but cows, pigs, sheep and chickens don't fare quite as well with the human diet," Claudia returned cheekily a faint smile on her lips.

"You murder people for sport!" Coach Bolton cried a note of exasperation in his voice and on his face.

"Oh, do we? All of us? Prove it!"

"I have a vampire attack case file."

"Darling, that means next to nothing." Claudia brushed him off. "You have a file on a few specific vampires that you have chosen to profile an entire species off of."

"What have YOU ever done for society?"

"Lab assistant to Pasteur, supported Columbus, oh, and hurried fashion through the 80s," Claudia responded coolly.

"Oh please that is bull!"

"It's fact."

"Quiet!" Mrs. Bolton finally exclaimed, utterly exasperated, she stood up from where she had been tending to Troy who was looking a bit shocked. "Let's just get Troy inside, these...people can leave," she said with disdain in her voice.

"No I...I want Ryan to stay," Troy said, he seemed to be coming out of some sort of daze, no one was more surprised to hear this than me and yet it made me feel pretty good to hear it."Besides if – if it's really such a big deal you can un-invite Ryan and Claudia afterwards."

"I sup – wait, how do you know her name?" Coach Bolton exclaimed, bewildered.

"Dad, I'm not as clueless as you seem to think, besides you just spent like five minutes arguing with her for no good reason, the least you could do is offer her coffee" Troy sighed wearily, there was a definite note of anger in his voice too. He rose slowly, his mother leaned in to help him but he moved away from her...towards me, so I offered. In this case he accepted. I got that little jolt of hope again, the one I'd had when he'd joined the musical and again when he'd asked for help to learn the dance steps...I wrapped my arm around his and let him lean against me as he moved, gingerly, wincing as he walked towards the house.

So, we adjourned into the house. There was a slight problem when Lucille and Jack Bolton refused to extend Claudia an invitation.

She responded to that by pointing out that she could try to enter, and just leave a huge portion of her power at the door. They didn't think she could do it. She did. I could see her straining to step over the threshold, and as she did, I saw one of the window panes beside the kitchen door crack and a weird ripple rush out from her blood into mine.

Lucille checked Troy over again as he explained the night at the concert, their stay in the mansion, the dead body and my unwilling transformation. Troy barely mentioned Luke in many cases, but when he did, it was with utter contempt.

Needless to say, his parents were furious at him for not telling them. Once again they seemed rather uninterested in the fact their son had survived impaling by a wooden post and focused instead on a rather mundane situation with a bizarre twist. Like he'd been caught blowing of school or something...

"They are evil, blood sucking monsters of the night! What were you thinking, not telling an adult!" Jack Bolton yelled.

"I'm sorry – you're criticizing me for not telling you something I thought would make me sound like a lunatic, dad!" Troy exclaimed in exasperation. "How do you even know about...this stuff?"

"Well...we..." Again, there was that awkward glance between the senior Boltons.

"Oh come on, you have to tell him!" I cried out, despite myself.

There was still silence. "No, not the Thorns of the Morrigan. Not the Brotherhood of St. Eustachius, or the Order of Agrippina…" Claudia was striding around the living room. "The Inquisition? No, no, not enough crosses. Oh you're not a private interest are you? No I know what it is…" she said at last. "The Circle of Swords...oh how charming."

"How do you know about us?" Coach Bolton snapped.

"Oh darling, just because you socialize with others and leave us out, doesn't mean we don't know about you." Claudia laughed heartily.

"Y-your entire family knows about us?"

"Oh no. I shan't tell you the full story, but only those of the right age and social circle are aware of your existence. To be honest, most have forgotten. The "Supernatural PTA" is a darling idea, but it's rather like the song "The Harper Valley PTA" …oh you know, all hypocrisy and secret handshakes."

"How dare-!" Mrs. Bolton exclaimed angrily.

"Shut up! Just...everyone SHUT UP! I don't need to hear this crazy crap, I have enough to deal with, and suddenly everything is going out of ** control!" Troy roared. His face was flushed, his chest was heaving, and he looked so scared and frustrated with everything. I think I was really starting to understand, when things got tough in the Bolton family Lucille got maternal and Jack got argumentative...and Troy just bottled it all up until it exploded and he was left confused and scared.

I resisted the urge to hug him. I'd already had one slip up tonight. A second might be a bad thing.

A peck on the lips, that's all it was.

Troy was panting and his eyes darted around in fear. It was all too much, I could see that. Suddenly everyone was not what they seemed to be. Everyone in the room had a mask, and I think his parents had just blindsided him by removing theirs. He rose from the sofa and his mother scooted away to allow him some space.

The outburst had been uncharacteristic of Troy. To tell the truth, he bottled so much up that I wasn't shocked it had happened. What did surprise me was that there was a strange angry silence radiating off him, like there was more going on than just frustration. He took a few breaths, and I could see his fingers digging into his palms as he clenched his fists before finally speaking. "I can't deal with all of this right now...I need to get some sleep and figure this all out. I don't understand what's going on, but if I hear any more right now, I might just explode." His voice shook with barely contained emotion.

I could see the anger and anxiety in his gaze as he stared dead ahead at the wall with a worrying intensity.

"Okay, honey," Lucille said as she put her hand on Jack Bolton's arm to stop him from saying something. "We understand. Take some time. We're here if you want to talk." Lucille Bolton knew how much of a loudmouth her husband was, props to her. He'd been pretty loud all night and so he was the last voice Troy needed to hear at this moment.

Troy gave a stiff nod, and then moved upstairs.

The Boltons and Claudia immediately went back to giving one another smouldering glares. "Your kid tried to kill our son" Lucille said coolly. "Tell us where to find him."

Claudia seemed like a stone statue for a moment. Finally she flicked her hair, indicating that she was still alive, for a vampire, at least. "I don't think so. I may be disgusted with what Luca has become, but I refuse to set a precedent and set hunters on him. If you want him, go find him yourself."

"Listen you vicious bitch!" Jack Bolton spat. "So long as he's out there, Troy is in danger. We aren't about to let him run around trying to murder our son!"

"Then perhaps you should have been honest with the boy," Claudia cooed, her tone exceptionally patronizing as she smirked at her hosts. There was a tense silence. "I can't prove Luca…I'm sorry, Luke, did this. I can only run interference until I can. But, your son needs to know how to defend himself. If you want to be hunters, congratulations, but having a 17 year old son who doesn't know how to protect himself from supernaturals you could draw down? That is very disappointing."

I could see the Boltons readying their retaliation, and slowly backed out of the room. I'd had more than enough of that for a millennium, let alone one night.

A thought struck me, as I looked up the stairs. I recalled the scene of Troy's broken body lying on the driveway. The tableau was ingrained in my mind's eye forever. Make no mistake; he'd been thrown from his own window. In a blur, I was at his door, pushing it open.

It was a very nice room, decorated just the way I'd expect: trophies, basketball posters, supermodel posters, a cluttered desk and discarded school accessories and stationary on various surfaces with a packed wardrobe threatening to explode out over his already limited floor space.

The gaping window was like a ragged wound in the wall right now. Troy stood before it, staring out into the night. "I forgot," he said slowly, faintly. "I forgot this was where he threw me out." He seemed to be in a trance of some kind. He slowly lifted his tattered shirt and ran his hand over his stomach without looking down. "He just threw me away like a doll, and I fell, and the fence went through me, and yet...I'm alive...how am I still alive?"

I approached slowly. "I – I don't know" I said quietly, afraid I might startle him into running, or something. "It's a miracle."

Troy let out a long sigh. "Senior year is supposed to be about Prom, and colleges and parties, and your last year of being a teenager…How the hell did we end up like this?"

I gave a bitter smile. "My terrible taste in men, maybe?"

Troy looked at me blankly for a moment and then smiled drily. "Yeah...I guess so."

"I'm sorry," I said after a moment. "This is my fault. I don't blame you if you blame me-"

"No. I don't...I just...I have no idea what's going on anymore. Everything is spinning wildly out of control, and part of me wants to run screaming into the night, while the other half wants to trash some stuff with a sledgehammer..." He flopped back onto his bed. "My whole world is going off the rails." His voice was quiet, on the verge of cracking under everything.

"I know the feeling," I murmured as I watched him lay back on the bed. My eyes dropped to the perfect skin being revealed by his torn shirt riding up, the alluring V on his lower body was sending my mind to a thoroughly inappropriate set of thoughts. "Uh – so we need to make sure Luke isn't able to get in again" I managed to blurt out, trying to force my mind out of the gutter and out of the very dangerous wishing it did around Troy Bolton.

"Can we not talk about him right now?" he murmured softly.

"Oh – uh – sure! W-What would you rather talk about?" I berated myself internally for bringing up his murderer – would-be murderer?

Troy laughed softly. "I have no idea…How's life with the vampires?" He turned to look at me.

"Umm...it's okay. It's not quite like the books. I mean, I get to see past the sort of glamorous veneer of the whole vampire culture. They treat me well so far, I guess. It turns out that I can walk in daylight when I get older."

"Oh? That's cool." A small smile formed on his lips, as if he was relieved and once again I couldn't even hazard a guess at what he was thinking. Sometimes Troy was easy to read but just as often he was an enigma.

I found myself smiling too, it was part of his charm and I think he knew it. "Yeah."

There was silence until Troy patted the bed. "I don't want you to fade out of my life," he said at last. "I like having you in it." I sat a little heavier than I expected, mainly because hearing him say that, actually hearing him say those words...made my knees week.

"I – I like it, too...being with you…As a friend…!" I looked over my shoulder and down at him. He had a kind of cryptic look in his eyes, his expression was unreadable and I didn't know what to say next. I just turned away slightly to hide the fact that, even against my will, even in my weirdly dead state...he was eliciting a blush from me. Wake up, Ryan, I berated myself, he's talking about friendship here...but I wished he wasn't...like I always had...and probably always would.

"Thanks," he murmured.

"You should take a shower," I said slowly. "Get cleaned up, and then get some rest."

"I guess. I don't feel all that tired," Troy murmured as he sat up. "But yeah...I should go shower." He stood and glanced at me. "Want to watch?"

I searched for an indication that he was joking. "What?" My body practically burst into flames with the intensity of the visual; the idea of Troy in the shower, soap suds rushing down every inch of his bronzed body, down, down his waist to his…! Oh boy oh boy…!

"I uh – ha ha ha very funny." I chuckled flatly, trying to seem nonchalant as I forcibly shoved the mental image into a dark recess of my mind. He joined in for a few moments, and I managed to convince myself it was just him joking around with me, like we used to do.

Troy simply smiled, and I stood up with superhuman speed. "I should go- before Claudia and your parental units have another fight." I mumbled. Troy smiled gradually, and we walked out into the hall at the top of the stairs. I glanced over at the bathroom door to see Troy slowly sliding out of his jeans, and closing the door in his clingy white boxers.

For a moment, our eyes met, and my heart started beating. There was no way this was happening. There was no way that Troy Bolton was coming on to me.

No.

Way.

Claudia was at the foot of the stairs with the Boltons. "Everything okay, darling?" she asked as I descended towards her, feeling rather faint as I did.

"Yes!" I called back. "Troy's room is where...uh...the window is broken…!" I tried to phrase it tactfully and failed miserably, but I think they got the idea. "He's taking a shower."

"Goodbye" Mrs. Bolton said, holding the front door open. "Oh, and please remember: you're not welcome here!" She added, as I stepped over the threshold. I stumbled as an unseen force gave me a shove.

Claudia stood outside and raised an eyebrow. "I was going to offer to replace the window, but really, you have been appalling hosts," she sighed. She linked my arm with hers, and in a blur, we had taken to the skies.

The feeling of flight was incredible. We shot through the air like a reversed Lois Lane and Superman. I could see all of Albuquerque below me, stretching out like a glittering black blanket with twinkling lights stitching a pattern through it. We flew too high to be easily seen by those below us, and the rush was intoxicating. To be so far above people, the streets, the human world…most people needed planes and helicopters and skyscrapers to be this high above everything.

"Beautiful," I murmured.

"Yes. Flight is a wonderful thing. In time you may learn it..." Claudia said. "Do you love Troy Bolton?"

I practically leapt out of her hands in surprise at the sudden digression. Luckily, she held tightly to me, and I didn't plunge to my demise on the streets below. Actually… I wondered; would that really kill me? Immortality had to have its limits. "What?" I gasped.

"Oh never mind, darling. I was just wondering, but I don't believe you know if you do or do not yet. A pity…" Her eyes darkened slightly. "Now, let us return to the mansion and not mention to Lu-ke that we know about his visit with Troy."

"Oh, okay."

"I must teach you to play the game, my darling boy. If you still want to take revenge that is."

I nodded. "Yes."

"Just be wary of the path of revenge," she advised me. "It's a slippery one paved with collateral damage. Revenge is a selfish thing...and once one has a desire for vengeance, it becomes very hard to satisfy it."

I couldn't articulate my feelings. Revenge wasn't what was on my mind, but I felt this...anger I'd never felt before. Luke had taken so much from me, and he hadn't apologized, or shown any remorse for it. In fact he'd acted like I should have been grateful to him. I didn't hate him, or maybe I did and I just didn't realize it. I mean, how would I know what that kind of hate, the kind of fury that got you moving toward seeking revenge, felt like?

I'd never hated anyone in my life.

Not genuinely.

"I...I don't know" I murmured.

"That's good."

I glanced up at her. "What?"

"Revenge. Manipulation. Petty Games. It is how some vampires pass the centuries. For the most part, we are still human in many ways, and immortality can bring out the worst in mankind. Luke is dangerous, because he has fallen in with a group that turns things we do in despair, and out of necessity, into frivolous actions most should view with caution. Murder for instance. Torture, as well. Obsession is something they like to glamorize."

I frowned and looked at my feet and then right back up again with a gasp.

It was a loooong way down.

Would it kill me? I really wasn't in a rush to find out but...I could, if I wanted to.

I was starting to see why vampires became narcissistic nightmares like Luke. There's no fear of death anymore. There was the old – what you could call an adage – "Always wear clean underwear, because you never know when you might get hit by a bus".

But, to a vampire, that was like carrying an umbrella in case of rain. You shrugged it off. You were inconvenienced, but one change of clothes later, and everything was back to how it used to be. There was no real fear of dying, I suppose. Or, that's at least the line of thinking that I decided that most of them followed.

It was like being stuck between a rock and a damned place. Luke had murdered Troy, and then came to take me on a date, like it meant nothing, like there was no magnitude to taking a human life because of some petty little desire. If I didn't do something, he'd just keep doing it. But was I really able to do what was necessary? If I played his game I would run the risk of descending into his darkness. I might even become him in the effort to stop him.

To be honest, I didn't know what to do.

So, Claudia and I flew back to the manor in complete silence.

The landing felt like stepping out of bed in the morning, a kind of jarring return from a dream. And things got exponentially worse as Luke came from the manor toward me. Two other vampires flanked him, moving like shadows in his wake. The male wore a lace covered shirt with ruffled cuffs, and the woman, an evening gown. I doubted either of intended to go out, dressed like that.

It was all an image.

"Ryan, I was so worried!" Luke exclaimed, arms outstretched to embrace me. Some manner of pantomimed concern hued his features. To his credit; he wasn't approaching this situation completely unprepared. He was at least trying to seem - - - I don't know… apologetic?

He was definitely concerned about what I had discovered.

"I found him a few hours ago, he was at his old school," Claudia said calmly, the lie flying from her lips with practiced ease. "I think he needs some space, Luca, don't you?"

Luke blinked, a thousand thoughts flittering across his face. He was strategizing his manipulations in the literal blink of an eye, and there was a chilling understanding of how vampires worked when they played this game. He smiled broadly and nodded. "Of course, he needs time to adjust." One of the other vampires near him coughed. "To the... dark curse of midnight…horror." He floundered slightly, and for a moment, I caught a glimpse of how little he thought of the things he said. It was a means to an end.

He was a good liar.

He was an amazing liar.

I could never forget that.

"Perhaps we can talk tomorrow night?"

I let myself feel cold for a moment, and then slipped into a new character. "Yes…That would be…Yes, okay. But not tomorrow night, I want to rest and I promised Claudia I would spend time on my lessons." I let my eyes flick to Claudia's form - she gave nothing away. "It will give you time to plan things anyway." I shivered as I plastered on a smile. "I just couldn't let you distract me from my lessons, it'd mean I never get them finished".

Luke clapped his hands together and grinned happily. "Splendid! I promise you'll love what I have planned!"

I smiled with all the sincerity I could muster, and nodded as Claudia wrapped an arm around me and lead me into the house. I cast a quick glance at the patio window and saw his reflection, more vampires in Victorian evening wear came from the gardens and milled around Luke. Whispers tickled my ear as my senses reached out and tried to catch what he was saying.

Sadly he spoke…well, some other language.

German, maybe?

Claudia led me upstairs to my room, and stepped inside with me. "He's more...frightening than I thought." I murmured. "He's like the calm in the eye of the hurricane...you know...all those other vampires have a dull look in their eyes, but he knows exactly what he's doing."

Claudia nodded slowly as she pulled the curtains, and gave a sigh. "It started with Dracula, an unexpected side effect, I suppose. Glamour began to seep in, and suddenly everyone was wearing evening dress around the house, buying coffins to sleep in, and that sort of thing." She gave another long, disappointed sigh. "Well, then it all ran out of control, and Luke and a few of his friends began pushing for more and more...glamorous...portrayals to be published, funding them, and creating the environs in which their Society of Midnight Black Velvet...or whatever it is they call it…Well, basically fostering it like some sort of wretched fungus in a shoebox."

The contempt was palpable, and I practically winced at the seething vitriol in her voice. "Why do you hate them so much?"

"Because we're not better than humans, we're just supernatural bodies with human minds that no longer fear the regular chance of death." Claudia sighed. "We should be aiming for bigger things, and yet they advocate frivolity and petulance, and ultimately the wasting of eternity. There's a reason we told the world our weaknesses, the reason we created laws, and they seek to throw all that aside. Why? Not for the passion of rebellion, the fervour of belief...but for silk shirts and the chance to watch someone as they sleep…Really…it's pathetic."

I sat on the bed as she snarled her complaints to the moon from my window, pulling the curtains closed over the last early morning sky. "Nearly sunrise, my darling...you will need to sleep."

I absorbed her words, trying to calm myself. Something continued to nag at me, however. "Troy…I didn't get to ask; what happened to Troy?"

"I have an idea but…well, I will look into it. I don't doubt that even as we speak, his family and the local community of supernatural interests are rushing to examine him. For the dear boy's sake, I hope they can give him answers." She leaned over and kissed me on the forehead. I distinctly recall my mother never doing that. Claudia stroked my hair. "When I know more, I will tell you."

"But I have a lot of questions," I murmured. "Claudia...please...I need to know what's going on here…!"

"I know, darling, but tomorrow night, when I have the best answers to give...the most informed ones" she smiled as the world suddenly went dark and I collapsed backwards. "Ah...the eager sleep of youth," her voice murmured as my mind recognized sunrise and demanded that I rest.

I didn't dream. I used to always dream, but this sleep was heavy and harsh with a distinct silence and cloying heaviness.

Except for a glimmer of something: features wreathed in shadows...a face.

The sleep took me, but for a few moments, I did not feel the isolating silence of it. For a few moments, I was not alone, and I felt the weight on my chest lift, ever so briefly.

* * *

><p><em>To Be Continued...<em>

* * *

><p><em>In the next Chapter: Troy gets some perspective on what he is, plays the hero and gets to spend time with Ryan...all the while trying to get his head together after a constant wave of twists and turns.<em>


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